Teach Me How to See
by Manaxsavior
Summary: The stage is set. The pentacles have been drawn. Sacrifices will be made and innocent blood will be spilt. Our reign as Demons shall return. Why do you look so confused? Did you honestly think that power was your own, child…? Battle Mage centric
1. The Eighteenth Year

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter One: The Eighteenth Year

Hey guys! Well, here's my first Maplestory fanfic! To make things even better, this story will revolve around Battle Mages. I mean seriously, I don't see any! Spread the BaM love! I believe this is post Big Bang.

Will there be pairings? Oh yes…

By the way, I made pictures of each OC. So I'll post those up as they appear in my profile. Lanne's might take a while tho…

I'm kinda amused that I uploaded this on Thanksgiving

**How much is a life worth? Lanne Hunter must unlock the secrets her missing parents fought to find and solve the mystery behind a class long thought to have been only myth. However, time is running out and an old enemy will soon return to the Maple World. Can she end the cycle of hatred before it rules over her, as well? The pact has been made. It's too late to turn back now.**

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><p><em>The room was quickly collapsing. Heavy stones and metal framework threatened to fall upon the occupants of the room but a faint blue barrier shielded them all. Cracks begin to appear within the protective dome that the fatigued mage had conjured. A high-pitched ringing pierced her ears—the result of the most recent explosion nearby. She looked up defiantly at her opponent despite her blurring vision and tattered robes.<em>

"_You idiot! Stop!" a hoarse voice shouted; a mix of shock and pain carried in his cry._

"_Damn…" another cursed and grunted as he tried to get up from his supine state._

_The girl continued to stand before the fallen warriors on trembling legs—golden staff in one hand and a clenched fist in the other. Her small body, which was riddled with wounds, seemed to shield them from the looming black shadow above. The monster howled and spoke—its words muffled and distorted, as she released her only weapon and half turned to the two behind her. Silent words hung heavy in her mind—a prophecy that had to be fulfilled._

"Pay the price…"

_The girl offered them a sad smile and mouthed inaudible words before walking away—head held high as she disappeared deeper and deeper into the dark._

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><p>"Brighton. It's 5'o clock." Mumbled a woman of 18 years, as she gently tugged the covers away from the street cleaner. "You need to go to work."<p>

The older man moaned and tried to pull the covers over his head once more. The apple-red-head clicked her tongue and in a quick instant the covers were gone, allowing a fresh sweep of cold air onto the man. He curled in on himself and reluctantly forced the sleep out of his system. "Lanne… You're not very nice, you know that?" Her face remained dead panned.

To anyone else her face showed no warmth but over the years Brighton managed to learn that a small twitch from the corner of her mouth was the equivalent of a soft smile. "I made you some breakfast downstairs. Eat it before Black Jack notices that I made it."

The street cleaner nodded and stared at the place she once stood before sighing deeply. His dark onyx eyes narrowed at the calendar. An ominous black 'X' was etched on the entire month. "I suppose I can't keep holding this off forever." He eyed the case where he kept his staff as well as an old picture. He picked it up with calloused fingers and stared at the couple in it—a tranquil and expecting mother being held by her goofy husband. "Eighteen years, Lucas… Where the hell can you be?"

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><p>"Here, Mrs. Thompson." Lanne spoke as she handed the middle-aged brunette her mail and a small package. The woman hurriedly took the items in hand and turned back inside when a little boy poked his head through the door.<p>

"Lanne!"

The redhead raised a brow and knelt down to the boy's level. "How are you today, Kevin?"

"I'm alright! I—"

"Kevin, come back inside. She has more work to do. Don't you?" her sweet tone belied her narrowed eyes. Lanne nodded slowly before getting back up and hurrying away from her doorstep. With her keen hearing, she was able to pick up a few words. "Don't…near…hurt."

Lanne drowned out the rest and continued her postal shift before her real job began.

Life in Edelstein was far from peaceful. The Black Wings continuously forced their way into their town—collecting high taxes as well as offering low wages for almost impossible jobs. Thus, the resistance was born. Its attackers: Wild Hunters and Mechanics. At least that's what the Maple World knows now. Lanne was among the few that knew that the Black Wings weren't the first group that terrorized Edelstein's citizens. Years before she was born, the Resistance was without a name but fighting against a force that rivaled that of the Black Mage.

The redhead shook away the story told to her and continued on her usual postal route. After the stairways she quickly deposited the mail at the shops and stopped at a familiar door. "Mr. Surl! Your mail arrived!" The elder, with his normal scowl and cane, opened the door. Lanne sighed quietly when she saw his somewhat disheveled appearance. "What did they do this time?"

He scowled even more and hit his cane against the pavement. "Those damned kids keep using the water supply as a place to hide when playing!"

"Is it broken? Should I get Brighton or Checky to look at it?" she asked worriedly but Surl shook his head.

"It's fine. Oh and here's some tip. Get something nice for yourself on the way back, got it?" when he offered her a bag of mesos Lanne frowned.

"No, I can't accept this! I already get by with the wages I get from Belle and Brighton."

"Just take it before I tell Brighton about your little 'escapades' by the cliffs." He grunted. "By the way…" He leaned in close to her. "I've seen some weird bugs running about near the mines. I'm not entirely sure if they're roaches. I'd be careful about taking a few naps outside town." [1]

Lanne nodded, understanding the code, went to finish her trip and headed back to the base. On the way, her ears picked up the gossip of the citizens of Edelstein.

"_That's Lilith isn't it? She's still here?"_

"_Don't get close to her, alright boys? Heaven knows what will happen to you!"_

"_Poor Brighton… I know he's kind but to take her in for this long…"_

The whispers once made her throw a tantrum in the middle of town. Now, it only caused a dull ache in her chest that didn't disappear until she was safely underground. She disliked the pure blue sky and clean air. It was affiliated with the people that shunned her and spoke venomous words behind her back. Inside the base, she could hear stories of the past from people that actually experienced it. She could take care of the Jaguars she loved so much. She could help the Resistance behind the scenes instead of being such a burden.

Truth be told, she had always wanted to join. To take arms against the Black Wings and make a difference was almost every citizen's dream here. Unfortunately, Brighton and even _Claudine_ refused to train her in a specific class. Could it be that they knew she would go out searching for her long lost parents as soon as she knew how to defend herself with a weapon on her own…?

"Lanne, are you alright?" The redhead blinked as Checky stared at her with beady teddy bear eyes. Her feet must have taken her inside the base while she was deep in thought.

"Y-Yeah. Just zoned out there." She answered and he nodded in understanding. "Is Belle down yet?"

"Actually she's training some new recruits right now!" Lanne could imagine him rolling his eyes behind the mask. He's been rather sore lately because there was a sudden rise in Wild Hunter recruits. She could only imagine how lonely the mascot could be when he had no students to torture. Lanne clapped his shoulder reassuringly and then climbed down the ladder. She was met with Claudine sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. The redhead walked over concernedly.

"Claudine? What happened?" The brunette woman looked up. Even with her shades on, Lanne could see her stressed expression. And that only happened when… "The recruits are really that bad?"

The woman groaned deeply and then picked up the knife she always played with. "Some of them will leave Belle cleaning her police pistol for a week at least." She didn't even need to ask her request since Lanne was already on her way to the Jaguar grounds where Belle always taught new recruits the basics. Upon entering the secret door she was tackled to the floor and assaulted with wet tongues to the face.

"Aw, guys!" she laughed and rubbed the cats heads while trying to push them off her. "If you guys keep smothering me I won't survive long enough to visit again." This got their attention as they backed up with reluctant growls. Lanne smiled gently and pet them again while being careful not to trip. Coming underground was her home away from home. It was a nice break to her days in town.

"No, the crossbow isn't a toy, boys…" Lanne could hear Belle's kind voice cracking with irritation from afar. She peered around a large boulder and saw five teen recruits practicing on target dummies.

"Teacher, when do we get to ride jaguars?"

"Yeah, I want a jaguar!"

Four out of the five kids continued whining while the other focused on shooting the center of the target with concentrated eyes. He was a bit scrawny compared to the other boys but Lanne appreciated his seriousness. A blue jaguar bumped its head against her back, almost begging for attention.

"Ah! A jaguar!" one of the boys grinned after seeing the exchange and rushed past Belle. Sensing danger, the cat growled and bristled. Lanne narrowed her eyes warningly and revealed herself from her hiding place. The boy stopped in his tracks in surprise at first but then glared in irritation. "Hey, can you move aside, lady? That's _my_ jaguar behind you." The blue beast moved closer to Lanne almost protectively.

"You didn't finish your training yet. Go back and I _might_ consider calling Black Jack off you," her green eyes burned holes into him and he bit his lip.

"Ooh, Lilith is gonna curse me! I'm _so_ scared!" he mocked and aimed his crossbow to the jaguar. "Now…"

"Jacob, wait—"Belle called but it was too late. Lanne was faster and ran towards the rookie recruit. He tensed and in doing so pulled the trigger. She predicted this and forced his weapon to shoot harmlessly up by grabbing his arm. Then, with a grunt she flipped him over her shoulder and aimed his crossbow at his face.

"Whoa, whoa, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he began to sob as he covered his face with his hands. For a moment, Lanne's eyes widened as her gaze switched from her hold on his crossbow to the boy it was aimed it. Eventually she let out an irritated 'tch' and threw his crossbow to the side. The blue jaguar looked at her appreciatively and ran off to the safety of the pack. Belle ran over followed by her students only to see Lanne walking away.

"Lanne? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to cool my head." The redhead replied simply and walked deeper into the jaguar habitat. The hardworking boy from before stared at her retreating back for a little while longer before tightening his grip on his own weapon in determination. The dirty blonde then turned back to the dummies and went straight back to training. Two hours later, that same boy went wandering the field (With permission of course) in search of that girl. He had just moved to Edelstein from Victoria Island about a month ago. It wasn't like he wanted to join the Resistance for the perks like those other kids. Training was becoming increasingly annoying with them along and he himself was tempted to give them a piece of his mind.

Too bad that girl beat him to it.

He recognized her as the girl that always does the morning mail. She always looked detached from everything, but he couldn't blame her when he overheard all the gossip whenever she was within eyeshot. It was a wonder how she could tolerate it. Because of that, he almost believed the rumors that she was born without emotion or the ilk. It wasn't like she showed anything other than a passive expression. But her face when that kid threatened the animal frightened him. The calm and seemingly uncaring green eyes she carried suddenly burst with a fire of their own.

"Damn it…what am I doing?" he stopped walking and looked around. He saw nothing but curious cats eyeing him to see what he was doing. In all honesty it surprised him when the cats weren't attacking him.

"You're not a threat. That's why." A voice answered his inner question and he swiftly turned to his left. There he saw a head of red hair sitting inside the entrance of a small cave. Her green eyes met his brown ones and he swallowed thickly. Now that he saw her up close she was rather pretty. Her hair was long and shone like a polished apple while her face was unmarred or hidden behind layers of makeup like some girls on Victoria Island. "Are you done staring?"

"U-Uh…" he said oh so intelligently and mentally smacked himself on the forehead. "Yeah. Are you alright?"

She nodded and turned her attention towards the deeper part of the cave, seemingly avoiding him. "Why'd you follow me?"

"Do you want the BS answer or the stupid honest one?" he asked jokingly, hoping to lighten the heavy tension that he felt between them. He could only guess that she was still a little angry from his fellow classmate.

"Honesty is the best policy," she answered without looking at him. Instead she reached her hand to whatever she was looking at inside the cave. The boy couldn't see.

"I have no idea."

Lanne finally turned towards him, analyzing for a long while before offering to him what was in her hands. It was a small black jaguar cub that stared at him with curious silver eyes. "Here. Say hello." The boy slowly walked forward and sat beside her. She set the cat down in his lap and it curled up in the makeshift 'nest'. It mewled for attention and he chuckled before scratching its ears. Upon closer inspection, he saw strange markings near its eyes… "Lanne."

"Huh?"

"My name," she rolled her eyes and shifted into a more comfortable position. "Yours?"

"Adrien. Nice to meet you, Lanne." He offered her a smile and was pleasantly surprised to see the corner of her lips curve ever so slightly. The cub in his lap purred and rubbed itself against his chest again, causing him to laugh a little. "Hey, little guy. You're quite the affectionate type, huh?"

"…When you finish your training, come to this very spot. _Alone_." Lanne stressed the last word with a soft glare before getting up and dusting herself off. "You'll see something good." She offered him a hand that he took gratefully. His arms and legs were a still bit sore after training far longer than the other recruits.

"Hey, Lanne. It might not be my place to ask this already but…" Adrien hesitated and avoided her eyes. "Why do people hate you so much?" She wasn't matching up to any of the rumors he's heard so far. When he looked back up at her, he saw yet another lonely expression in her green eyes. He stared at her for a while in wonder before she shook her head and ruffled his hair.

"C'mon, it's getting late. We should head home."

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><p>Brighton scratched the back of his head after his recent encounter with Belle. For the first time in a while, the seemingly dainty police officer was alight with anger at her students. In the break room of the base she took apart her pistol and put it back together. Her crossbow had already been attended to. Checky was cleaning his own gadgets and Brighton could imagine his happy smirk with the outcome.<p>

"Is it me or is everyone stressed out lately?" asked the mage before rolling his eyes at Checky's confused tilt of the head. "_Other_ than the bear. And don't say it's the recruits because I know you two are made of tougher stuff than that." Both Claudine and Belle gave him a weak glare before the cop returned to her gun and the knife master continued to practice playing darts on the map in front of her.

"Tomorrow's the day…huh." The knife wielder began. "Eighteen years since Solomon's forces were beaten. Eighteen years since the Hunters went missing… Eighteen years since their child, Lanne was born." She sighed. "The day is coming Brighton. You can't protect her forever."

The street cleaner clenched his fists and stared at his staff that glowed ever so slightly with his fluctuating thoughts.

"_She's right you know,"_ it seemed to tell him in a voice that only he could hear.

"I can pair her up with a fine mechanic of mine. There's no way anything will get past my machines!" Checky offered proudly.

Claudine clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Mechanics are too noticeable of a force. We need someone that can protect her without attracting attention."

Belle's pistol clicked and she pulled her Police cap back on with a satisfied hum. "I can pair her up with a few of my hunters for protection. The jaguars like her as well and won't give her up without a fight."

"Oh yeah. If machines won't attract attention, giant kittens definitely wont." He chuckled. "What are they gonna do? Lick me to death?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of ripping you apart." The Wild Hunter smiled sadistically. "I wonder if they'll taste blood or stuffing…?"

The street sweeper gripped his staff tighter while the two instructors bantered. "She has to make the pact." the words were mumbled so quietly that even Black Jack would have to strain his ears to listen. Claudine suddenly threw her knife at the air between the two arguing instructors, causing them to separate nervously.

"You two are supposed to be leaders, not quarreling children! Do I need to send you back to school?" Claudine threatened as the two quieted and reduced their fight to an exchange of daggers. The doctor turned to Brighton and offered him an apologetic smile. "Sorry Brighton. Go on ahead. I'm pretty sure Lanne is home by now. I'll get these two to make up by closing shop."

"Thanks, Claudine," the street sweeper smiled and went to a passage that connected to his small house. It was dangerous to be walking around now and he was in no mood for a fight with the Black Wings or worse... Especially when the rusted cogs would begin to move again.

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><p>Lanne stared at her ceiling with mild interest after getting tired of tossing and turning. Now, she lay on her side wrapped in blankets awaiting sleep to consume her like it was supposed to an hour ago. Her green eyes stared through the window of her room that overlooked most of the town. The stars that greeted her as a little girl were gone—drowned out by the harsh lights by the mines and the Black Wings Headquarters.<p>

"_Why do people hate you so much?"_

The words echoed in her mind. She wanted to know as well, although she had her own opinions. Was it because of the boy that supposedly died right after speaking with her? Or had it been the disappearance of a few townsfolk that kept close company with her before the rumors escalated? All signs pointed to one conclusion: bad things happen to those that get close.

'_It's alright,'_ a voice in the back of her mind assured her. It was different than her own and seemed to whisper to her in a silky tone, which she tried to ignore. _'You don't need anyone like that. Don't act like you're not used to it.' _

The voice had only appeared recently and she strongly told herself that she wasn't getting crazy and that she was just fed up with her mundane life in Edelstein. Lanne wanted to see the world. Experience life without being tied down by anything-the Black Wings, her title as Lilith, everything...

The redhead groaned and pulled the covers over her head to use her trump card. With her minds eye she pictured a pair of faceless smiles and a warm loving embrace instead of her own arms. "Mom…dad…"

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><p>[1] For those that don't know the Resistance code:<p>

Roaches = Black Wings

Naps = Supplies. In this situation, Surl was saying not to transport supplies near the outer borders of town

**A/N:** I'm bad at introductory chapters. I promise it'll pick up next chapter. Actually the next chapter has an abrupt transition because I don't wanna waste time on the intro, lol. Cuz right now you're probably wondering "Whaaaa? Why does everyone hate her?" and "Huh? Solomon? WTF?"…yeah, I'm bad at writing these kind of plotlines but I wanted to try and see where it goes. And btw, her name is pronounced Lan (Pronounced like ran but with an L). The 'e' is silent.

I'm tempted to do Character profiles at the end of the chapters instead of on my profile. It's cleaner that way...

**Trivial Trivia: Choosing a name (Hehe, i'm doing this instead of calling it "Fun Facts")**

While the story was simply data in the confines of my mind, my main character's name was Kaylie. Then when I began the draft of the basic story it turned into Lia. THEEEN after careful consideration it turned into Lanne (Almost was Lenne, but the extra 'e' bothered me). This is just a small example of how hard it is to choose names. Don't get me started on titles...

And don't get me started on my OTHER Main OC that will show up eventually...


	2. Cairn

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Two: Cairn

_Cairn – Man-made pile of stones. Have been used throughout history for landmarks, navigation, and religious purposes (Such as a grave marker or prayer site)._

Things pick up here so I'll try not to lose you guys yet. I probably will though since the aim of the majority of this chapter is supposed to seem fast. Actually this chapter is a HUGE jump from nothing happening to action. Also, forgive me if I'm not accurate religiously throughout this story. On the bright side, there's a vocabulary word of the chapter up there. So if you're ever on a money show and you get the question about Cairns right, give me a holler (And maybe some donation money for college, jk jk)!

And I'd like to thank **Alice Freyre** for giving me a nice first review on this story. Truth be told, after you reviewed my hands had a mind of their own and made the chapter without telling my mind. After proofreading it a bit, it kinda turned out to be good considering I didn't think too much. Hurray for writer's instinct! XD

Although, my abdomen hurts right now. Why you ask? I had a minor surgery on a birthmark that looked potentially dangerous. Wish me luck on the lab results!

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><p><em>"Brighton…?" asked a small voice as he was roused from his sleep. The street sweeper groaned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He took in the young girl in front of him—her short red hair mussed up and arms filled with a pillow half her size. Most worrisome of all was her eyes which were filled with fear.<em>

_"Lanne? What's wrong?" He offered a hand to her, which she took as an invitation to climb into his bed. She sat cross-legged and her eyes stared down into her lap._

_"I had a bad dream…" the redhead sniffled as she held the pillow tighter._

_"It's only a dream. Nothing can hurt you in a dream, little one," he assured her but she shook her head. Brighton shifted in bed and she scooted over to the spot next to him. "So what's wrong?"_

_"Nothing happened really… But I kept hearing a scary voice." Little Lanne shivered and bit her bottom lip to prevent the tears from flowing down again. "It said 'Pay the price' and 'form the pact'. What does that mean? What price? And what's a pact?"_

_The street cleaner frowned but hoped that the dark of the room hid that from her. Instead, he cleared his voice and hoped it sounded more reassuring than he felt. "Don't worry Lanne. It was just a dream. Maybe it's just telling you something to prepare for the future?"_

_At this, she smiled weakly and yawned—the adrenaline now leaving her. "Thank you, Brighton. Can I…sleep here tonight?"_

_"Of course, little one." As he said these words, she fell into a deep slumber. He pat her head and sighed. "I can only hope that you will never understand those words, nor will you have to answer to them."_

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><p>"Hey, Lilith, wanna curse me?" teased a boy as Lanne's lips thinned and her arms crossed over her chest. Some of the town boys found it funny to take her mailbag while she was taking a break. Now, it was held hostage by a boy in a tall tree just outside the shopping district of Edelstein.<p>

"Can you give me back my bag now?" she asked and held her hand out. The boy swung her bag carelessly. A few envelopes fluttered down and the redhead bent down to pick them up. When she did, a few of the bolder boys in the tree tossed acorns at her head. Her eye twitched but she bit the inside of her cheek and placed her hands on her hips. "Alright, you've had your fun. Can you give it back now?"

"Make us!"

Lanne groaned and cursed under her breath. "It's not even noon and already I want to crawl in a hole."

Just as she was about to take a step forward she felt the air beside her cheek split. No sooner than that did a crossbow bolt thwack cleanly into the strap of her bag and then into the bark of the tree. The boy holding it fell out of the tree in shock while the other boys ran off in fright.

"You're not supposed to use that on citizens." Lanne commented as a familiar blonde came out from the bushes behind her. It had been at least a week since the two met and Adrien had begun to understand the apple haired girl. His brown eyes shone in amusement as he unloaded the ready bolt on his weapon.

"Well… Ms. Belle didn't see it so I'm safe for now. Sorry about your bag by the way… I was hoping he would drop it but I fired too close." Adrien said sheepishly while Lanne proceeded to climb the tree. They both continued to ignore the moaning boy on the ground.

"A little closer and you would have owed me a new cheek," her tone sounded indignant but he knew that if she was really mad then she would have ignored him—or worse, told Belle. "I can mend this anyway. The hole isn't too bad." Lanne grunted and barely managed to pull the bolt out of the thick bark.

The Wild Hunter trainee raised a brow and smiled smugly. "Not gonna ask why I'm not training?"

The redhead shrugged and carefully climbed down the tree, wincing when her long hair got caught in a few branches every now and then. "You'll tell me eventually. It's not like you can keep your mouth shut about enrolling in the 'school' here." She replied simply and slung the satchel over her shoulder. When she noticed that he wasn't following her she frowned skeptically. "Well?"

Adrien blinked and shook his head. "C-Coming!" He thought he had saw movement in the bushes but shook it off. _'Must have been the wind.'_ He told himself and caught up with the redhead. There hadn't been a breeze to begin with.

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><p>"They what?" Brighton bellowed as his parental instincts kicked in.<p>

"Brighton, put the staff down." Lanne rolled her eyes and stretched, already feeling at ease down inside the base. "I didn't get hurt and Adrien was there to help me out."

His brow rose at the unfamiliar name. "Adrien? Is it that new Wild Hunter recruit?" Once again he took hold of his staff. Lanne quickly took it away from him.

"Tone down the testosterone. I'm pretty sure Belle wouldn't like you killing her only decent student." That same student was already getting a harsh scolding from the Wild Hunter Instructor as they spoke. Only heaven would help him have a dreamless sleep after that… The redhead smiled slightly and then stared deeply into the orb on his staff. "…?"

"Lanne?" the street sweeper called her when she didn't stop staring. He saw sparks appear in the orb and quickly intervened. "Lanne!"

The green-eyed girl took a sharp breath and shook her head out of her trance. "Huh?"

'_It isn't supposed to respond to anyone but me. What's going on?'_ he thought grimly.

"…ton? Brighton!" Lanne's voice sounded muffled in his thoughts. "Are you okay? You've been acting strangely lately."

Brighton scanned Lanne's expression: concerned and confused with Brighton's recent behavior. She was still innocent and he dearly wished that she never had to have such a cruel fate thrust upon her at birth. However, the day has come for her to know what that fate was. "There's something I need to tell you."

Lanne parted her lips to speak but a loud siren cut them both off. The room flashed red and the screens all zoomed into one point. The entrance of the mine was smoking and Black Wing members were running out and screaming. Explosions followed as cloaked figures calmly walked out. Lanne furrowed her brows. "What the…? Who are they?"

Brighton recognized the alchemic symbols on their clothes and cursed.

"Lanne, I need you to stay down here. The instructors and I will try to drive them out." he grabbed his staff from her hands (somewhat surprised that it took a little more effort than he thought).

"What about the citizens? I need to help them—"

"No, stay here!" he cut her off harshly and she stared at him with a hurt and confused expression. Brighton took a deep breath and put a hand on his shoulder. He hoped that she couldn't feel it shaking. "_Please_, Lanne. Promise me that you'll stay here. That you'll stay safe. We'll handle the citizens."

The 18 year old nodded reluctantly and he offered her an apologetic smile. She returned a tiny one and removed his hand from her with gentle care. "Come back safely."

When the mage ran into the dark tunnels and out of earshot, Lanne gripped the front of her vest while frowning. "I'm sorry, Brighton." She turned and climbed up the ladder to the pipeline opening. When she was met with the light at the end, her nose picked up a foul odor of burning buildings and something else… Cautiously she poked her head out but quickly ducked when she saw the hooded figures again. Most, if not all of them, wielded staves not dissimilar to Brighton's save for a few technical details. Their clothing had symbols and images that Lanne had recognized from Brighton's study.

Two of them stopped in front of her hiding spot and she held her breath.

"Did you find the vessel yet?"

The other shook his head and cursed before wiping off blood from his hands. "No. That damned Resistance reacted faster than we anticipated. Noah, get your troops ready. We're gonna scour this godforsaken town for it even if we have to rip it apart stone by stone."

'Noah' took his hood off, revealing midnight black hair and gold cat-like eyes. Across his nasal bone and between his eyes was a diagonal scar. A sinister smirk came upon his lips and he nodded. "How fun. I hope they won't be as cowardly as those Black Wings or else this won't be fun at all." His gaze wandered to her hiding spot and she forced herself not to move or tear her gaze away. Any movement could give her position away, so she hoped that the darkness of the pipe would hide her red hair. Her left hand began to sting and she fought not to stare at it or make a sound. When Noah turned away, the pain also subsided. Lanne let her breathing even out silently and clenched her fist so hard that she could feel the crescent shaped moons on her palms already.

The other man shook his head and scoffed at his colleague. "Noah, if you do that then you'll end up killing the thing we're looking for. We need to bring it back to the boss alive. Not dead, not tortured, and not in pieces." The men exchanged a chuckle before continuing their search.

When the coast was clear, Lanne climbed out of her hiding place and surveyed the area. Already the town that was bustling and filled with life only an hour ago was burning and broken. Every now and then she heard a groan but couldn't decipher where it came from. Much to her dismay, she saw more unmoving bodies littered around town. "How could anyone do this…?" she asked shakily and stopped in the middle of the road despite how dangerous it was. Her ears picked up quiet sobbing and she whipped her head around. By the police station, a little girl was holding onto something stuck beneath the rubble. "Hey, what are you doing? You need to hide!" Lanne scolded. The little pinkette girl sniffed and turned to her with large teary eyes.

"I-I can't! Not without Mama!" she cried and Lanne only noticed now that the object she was holding was a limp hand that stuck out from the debris.

The redhead bit her lip and touched the girl's shoulder. "You need to come with me. Your mama doesn't want you to stay in this dangerous place."

"B-But Mama told me not to go with you!" The girl hiccupped. Lanne stiffened.

'_Even though you extend your help, they don't accept you.' _The silky voice in her head returned and Lanne felt her left hand burn once more. When she took a look at it she was appalled to see black markings, like a tattoo, on her hand. Did it appear when Noah looked at her? _'Give in. Leave her. You offered her sanctuary and she denied that kindness.' _It was becoming harder to separate the voice from her own thoughts now and she backed away from the quivering girl that stared at her with watery blue eyes. _'Blue. You hate that color. It's the color of the sky. The color of the world that denies and shuns you.'_

"Hey, that girl looks suspicious!" Lanne heard multiple shouts from behind her and numerous footsteps echoed closer. The redhead bit her lip and quickly picked the girl up, ignoring her crying pleas to release her and allow her to remain with her mother. She ran with the girl in her arm like a football and made a break for the base. At least there she could grab a crossbow or any other weapon.

All of a sudden, a hooded figure appeared with a blue flash. Lanne recognized it as teleport and deemed him a mage like the others.

"My, my, my. I went searching for a weak birdling and caught myself a canary." His was reminded her of one of the men that almost caught her. His eyes were dark ochre and beneath the hood she could make out blonde locks of hair behind a black headband. "Tell me. How does it feel to see your town in shambles? I imagine it hurts, yes?"

Lanne bristled and ignored the whine from the girl in her arms that tightened with her emotions. The redhead took a step back but stopped when she saw other hooded figures surrounding all her escape routes. Stall for time. Search for an exit. Survive. Her mind raced and she dug her boot into the stone road in irritation. "Who are you guys?"

"Us? We are the ones who are forgotten. We are the ones the world threw away because they were frightened of our power. We are Ars Noctis." The man pulled back the hood from his face. "My name is Surge." His skin was tanned and it contrasted against his platinum blonde hair, and yet the dark of his eyes allured her like the voice in her mind.

_'They understand you. Go with them. Or do you want to remain alone until the day you lay rotting on your sickbed?'_ it questioned her daringly and Lanne once again had to make sure that it wasn't her own mind. Unconsciously she eased the girl down on the pavement and the girl tried to back away from her while staying a safe distance from the strange-cloaked figures. The man outstretched his hand. He had the most intriguing opal ring that pulled her attention toward it.

"Why are you in Edelstein…? We have nothing of value here. Not anymore." she managed to ask monotonously and her eyes began to lose focus.

Surge smiled not unkindly. Lanne found it calming and she took a step closer. The little girl looked at her in shock. "Lady?"

"I beg to differ. We're looking for something in this town. Can you assist us?"

_'They need your help. Isn't that what you always wanted? To be of use? To help others?'_ If voices could smile, this one did. She could feel it on the back of her neck. _'Go on… Take his hand.'_

Even though the warning lights were blaring in her head, both the soothing voice and enticing opal ring won her over. Soon enough, Lanne stood in front of him and tentatively reached out to take his hand when a loud roar cleared her senses. Her green eyes burned with hatred and she pulled her hand back as if scalded. "What did you do to me?"

Surge shook his head and lifted his shoulders helplessly. "Ah, I was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to violence." When he took a closer look at her left hand all hints of friendliness vanished and were instead replaced with shock. "You…"

A large black jaguar leapt down from the upper level of the town and landed between Lanne and Surge. Belle shot her crossbow at him on the way down and he jumped back to avoid the mana infused bolts. "Lanne! Jump on!" The redhead nodded hastily but then looked back for the girl. She too was getting hoisted onto a jaguar with the help of another Wild Hunter. In the back of her mind Lanne wondered if Adrien was alright, but now was no time to think about that. She could only hope that he had visited the cave before all this happened.

Belle sighed almost gratefully when Lanne was on and leaned into her partner. "Hold on!" Both jaguars leapt over the circle of attackers and hurried away. The other jaguar went one direction while the one Lanne was on continued towards the direction of her house.

"Belle, what's going on? And what happened to the citizens? Are they alright?" she asked, not caring if her panic was finally beginning to set into her voice. Only now did she notice that Belle's feathered hat was gone and her clothes were tattered and bloody. Black Jack was also injured with strange marks. Lanne recognized that they weren't made with blades but were very close. Their injuries held lingering traces of dark mana.

"They're fine. Ace managed to move the majority to orbis before the airport was attacked." The Wild Hunter allowed her shoulders to relax but winced when she felt the full force of her wounds as her adrenaline slowly left her. "We were hoping that we would have a bit more time to prepare you for this but they came earlier than predicted." She said while pulling out a white potion from her pouch. Lanne wanted to give her an Elixir she had been saving but forgot that she left her bag back at the base. They stopped and Belle ordered Lanne off. "Lanne, I need you to hurry into your house and grab a satchel in Brighton's room as well as any books that he marked with a red bookmark."

Lanne knew better than to question Belle in her state. She merely nodded and ran inside—careful not to trip and waste precious time. Belle would have to guard the house alone until she came back.

Brighton's room was unusually messy and she cursed under her breath. She kicked clothes and other texts away from his bed and grabbed the only thing underneath. The two marked books were easy enough to find since they were on his nightstand. Lanne stuffed them inside the satchel and ran outside. Already she could see more cloaked figures and Belle shouted at her to get back on. Black Jack once again jumped over the crowd and she left the town area. Lanne recognized this route. They were going towards the mines.

"Belle, I know this isn't the right time but can I please know what the hell is going on?"

The Wild Hunter kept her eyes on the road ahead of her, checking for any new enemies. When Black Jack sensed none nearby they eased their pace. "Do you remember the war your parents were in years ago?"

"Yes. They were fighting against Solomon's demons, weren't they?"

"Exactly. I was still only about your age when it came to a close. We told you that we won the war but that wasn't the case." Belle gripped the reins tightly beneath her gloves and Black Jack whined in concern for his master. "We only managed to delay the inevitable and sealed his forces away." They arrived at their destination: The Black Wing's teleporter. The guard that normally watches the area lay on the ground unconscious and Belle let out a sigh of relief. She bent down and looted his pockets until she found what she was looking for. "Take this and use it to activate the teleporter. You have to go to Ellinia and speak to Grendel the Wise. He should be able to explain more."

"What about you? And Brighton and Claudine? Checky?" Lanne asked.

Belle chuckled softly. "I like your order of priorities."

"Belle!"

The strawberry blonde woman ruffled Lanne's long hair that was now slightly singed and dirty with ash. "Such a shame it got dirty. You look just like your mother, you know?"

"Belle, please, answer me!"

Belle's eyes showed hesitation before she shook her head and pushed her onto the teleporter. She activated the machine herself and forced herself not to look at Lanne's hurt expression as she disappeared into the light. Black Jack licked her cheek as the Wild Hunter slumped down, exhausted. The two heard the pounding march of boots and smiled grimly at each other. There was no way they were going to go down before that damned mechanic.

* * *

><p>Chapter two and already I have blood, an escape scene, and an idea on the villains for my readers… It's a new record.<p>

Btw…I don't know if you can tell but I've never made a Wild Hunter (Well, not entirely true. I DID make one, but I'm only level 11 and I stopped playing it, due to school and my lovely BaM). Forgive me if I get Belle's character, Wild Hunter attacks or anything to do with Wild Hunters wrong. But quite honestly, I know more about them than the mechanics, lol.

Anyway, once again forgive me for the sudden "Peace to sudden attack" transition. Like before, I didn't want the beginning to drag on. Also, there's a slight time error in the first chapter but I'm not fixing it. It's minor and doesn't affect the story too much. See? I'm such a lazy writer. Heaven help me if I decide to write a book, lol

Now, i'm off to play multiplayer in Assassin's Creed Revelations again. I'm so happy that stunning is easier now!

**Trivial Trivia:**

The 'voice' wasn't in the original script. Yes, I know. It's the infamous voice-in-the-head tactic. It's my risk in this story b/c more often than not I make it sound too...corny. In order to practice I'm gonna try it again. I blame listening to "Leia" (Vocaloid dub by nano & mistressu) for goading me into doing this. Buuuut, it does help with what I was going to accomplish later on in the story.

REVIEW PLEASE!


	3. Hospitality?

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Three: Hospitality?

For the record, I have no idea where the secret portal takes you…So, I skipped it. I'm unable to figure out where because I threw my tokens out and I have no time to find out myself, lol.

Once again, I have a review from **Alice Freyre**! Thank you! I'm glad that the transition wasn't bad. Also, thanks **WildOrion** for the other review. I'm surprised that suddenly there's a wave of new stories in the MS section. I got off the front page so fast! –sad face- Oh well, more incentive to keep writing. Meh. Now, time to put in another chapter. I could have gone on but my quota for this chapter is done…

Guess who shows up in this chapter? –smirk-

**A/N**: Well guys, I did it again. I broke my finger. XD It doesn't impede me too much since it's my pinky but it pisses me off because I _have_ to play in my holiday concert. If it's not healed by then, I don't care about the consequences on my finger. I AM PLAYING LIKE MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! Also, I got strep throat and 100.8F fever. Hehe…I reaaaally screwed up, huh? And before I actually took my temp, I was in NY (which is VERY cold right now) for half the day walking around. Not the best thing for recovery. So it worsened. If my writing is less than expected, I apologize.

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><p><em>"Brighton?" asked little Lanne as she tugged at the older man's coat. Her breath came out in small clouds and her hands were red from the cold. "What are they doing?"<em>

_The street sweeper looked in the direction where she was pointing. It was a citizen's house and through the window he could see the mother running up and down the stairs and the rest of the family placing decorations on the glowing tree._

"_They're celebrating the holidays, Lanne." He offered her a kind smile. Lanne put a red finger to her chin in thought. _

"_Can we do that?" although her eyes still did not show interest, Brighton caught the hopeful tone in her voice. He frowned deeply and knelt down to her level._

"_Lanne, how old are you now?"_

"_Five."_

_The street sweeper scratched his head and made a face. "I'm sorry, Lanne. I don't think we can celebrate this year. You can understand why, right?" She nodded, knowing that Brighton, Claudine, Belle and Checky all worked around the clock for something called 'Peace'. "How about next year? I promise we'll all do something together then!" He took her hands in his and warmed them quickly. Lanne nodded her head eagerly this time and hugged her guardian tightly. Her chest felt warm, even when the cold wind buffeted them both. The promise of a future filled with warmth and company gave her something to look forward to each time she crossed the passing days off the calendar. _

_It was only natural that when Christmas came round again she would leap up on the bed of her guardian to wake him. _

_It was also to be expected that when no one was there she would end up spending that day watching other families play in the snow and open colorful presents while she stood alone in a house—devoid of glittering ornaments and shimmering lights. _

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><p>The young magician frowned as he turned back to the girl on his dragon's back. Said-dragon seemed to roll its eyes and growled quietly, upset that all the attention was on some strange female. "Master, you don't have to keep turning around every five seconds. If she wakes up I'll tell you."<p>

He laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I guess. Sorry Mir. I'm just worried." He took a closer inspection on her and furrowed his brows. Although her body sported no major physical injuries, he could tell that her mind was in turmoil. Her energies were all over the place and she _reeked_ of dark mana—for lack of a better term. "Hmm, think you can handle another load, partner? She really needs to get checked out. The closest place I can think of is at Ma's and you know how fast I run. "

The Onyx dragon nodded and kneeled down for his master. The mage had to hold the mysterious girl firmly so that she wouldn't fall off. The girl intrigued him. Although her face was convincing enough, her clothes were boyish and torn. He could tell a hard worker by the garbs they wore. Added to that, never before had he seen anyone with hair as red as hers. It reminded him of the dark fruits he found at the general store. If she were cleaned up a little, then surely it would shine like a polished apple. He wondered what color was hidden behind her eyes but shook the thought away. He would find out eventually. Hopefully.

"Master," Mir whined, once again allowing the childish jealousy seep into his voice. "Your thoughts are greatly interfering with mine that wish to ignore her."

"Mir, you've lost most, if not all of your blue stripes. Surely you should be mature enough to understand my interest in a girl!" The Dragon Master smiled jokingly but understood where his partner was coming from. Over the course of their adventure, they grew from ignorant children to travelers. "And don't worry. I checked her aura before we picked her up. She's safe enough for now… The rest depends on when she wakes up."

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><p>Lanne knew her body was warm and clean. It was just a feeling she got. When her eyes finally opened, she found herself in a strange home made of thick logs and planks. Her body was wrapped in a comfortable and colorful quilt, which was a strong contrast to her usual blank and bleak blanket back in her room.<p>

Her eyes widened in realization that she might not be able to go back home. That strange group, Ars Noctis, was probably still stationed there. The people, Belle, Brighton, everyone… It was becoming too much for the young woman and she felt nauseous.

"Up I see?" asked a voice from the door and caused Lanne to freeze up and turn to the source. It was a woman with soft olive eyes and sandy brown hair in a bun. Her yellow apron was slightly stained with what Lanne guessed was breakfast from the smell emanating from below. "I'm sorry for startling you, dear. I just came up to drop off your clothes. I've washed and mended them." Lanne nodded slowly, unable to register what to do or say. The woman took no offence and smiled. "You were in quite the state when my son brought you here. In fact, I had to force him downstairs! He wouldn't leave your bedside!" She laughed and placed the clothes at the foot of the bed. "By the way. I'm Anna. My husband and my son are eating downstairs. Think you can stomach anything?"

"I…think so." The redhead finally managed. After a brief pause, she added awkwardly. "Thank you very much for helping me."

"Any time, dear. Any friend of Evan is a friend of ours. Come down when you want to have a bite!" Anna left the room and Lanne attempted to get out of bed. Her legs were shaky but she didn't train with both Claudine and Belle for nothing.

The room was warm, yet she did not sweat. Her chest pounded but it wasn't painful. What was this strange sensation? Lanne shook her head and changed into her mended clothes, reveling in the familiarity of the cloth and wonder in the unusual fresh floral scent of it now. She panicked slightly when she couldn't find her bag and prayed that her savior picked it up. When she went down the stairs she was hit with the full force of the delicious aromas from the kitchen. There were two people at the table: a small kid with black hair and jumpers and the other had sandy brown hair and wore a white button down shirt and slacks. The second boy slowed down his laughter when he saw Lanne come down the stairs with a lost expression.

"Hey. You feeling alright?" She nodded slowly and finally landed on the final step. As her strength returned, the brunette could feel her walls rising. He wanted to say something reassuring but Utah beat him to it.

"Whoa… I know you told you me found a girl, but you didn't tell me she was this hot!"

Lanne sent him a strange look and crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive manner. "…excuse me?"

The other boy flushed in embarrassment and he waved his hands in front of him defensively. "U-Uh, I'm sorry about him! He's still such a brat!" as he said this, the brunette punched the other boy. "I'm Evan Rockwell and this is Utah." His tone was hopeful and Lanne assumed that he wished to know her name. A small piece of her still felt lost and guarded.

"Lanne," the redhead finally found her voice again and cleared her throat when it came out strangely hoarse. "Lanne Hunter."

Anna heard it and, quick as rain, had a glass offered to her. "Here, dear. You must be thirsty after your ordeal." Lanne nodded gratefully as she was guided to the table where the two boys were. She ignored Utah's fawning and Evan's friendly aquamarine eyes as she drank the water slowly.

"So, Evan," Utah began excitedly and he reluctantly tore his gaze away from Lanne. "You haven't been home in forever! What's it like? Have you been to Ellinia? How about Nautilus Harbor? Sleepywood?"

Lanne's ears perked at the sound of Ellinia. Didn't Belle tell her to go there? At the memory of their parting she felt a deep loneliness but quickly let the emotion pass. This was no time to wallow in her sadness. This was a time for listening.

The sandy brunette laughed and clapped his friend's back. "One place at a time, man. And yes, I've been to all those places!"

"Are the monsters scary? Did they kick your butt? Were you scared? Tell me!"

"Nice to know your level of faith in me," Evan rolled his eyes and allowed the stories of his adventures flow easily from his lips. Lanne listened with interest as well but easily masked it by looking engrossed with something else. She had even offered to wash the dishes from breakfast (Which was delicious, she must add) but continued to listen in. From what she heard, Evan had only begun to travel months ago and had to learn everything about traveling on his own. Occasionally he would bring up something about a partner but the word seemed accidental and hid within his stories of the thieving city of Kerning and dark forests within the Sleepywood. "So, Lanne, where do you come from? Doesn't look like you're from Victoria Island."

She kept silent for a while, unsure as to if she should trust strangers but relented. They had taken her in to rest so the least she could do was answer some questions, right? "No, I'm from a place called Edelstein…"

"Edelstein? I think I remember seeing a sign like that near the six path crossway," Even put a finger on his chin thoughtfully. "In fact, I think I saw a whole bunch of people come in from there and transfer to Orbis. Strange that I found you so far from the port... How long have you been in Victoria?" The redhead turned away and Evan thankfully took the hint. Through the rest of the conversation he simply joked with Utah and his mother while Lanne simply observed. Although she didn't laugh along or put input, he could tell she was interested. Her sharp green eyes were interesting and guarded, and yet soft enough not to scare off Utah or unnerve his mother. In the back of his mind, he felt Mir's discomfort from hiding behind the haystacks for so long. The dragon had been getting bigger as of late and it was getting difficult to hide the dragon out of sight from curious eyes. "Erm…sorry Ma. I gotta check something." He quickly left the house and Anne sighed.

"That boy is in one moment and gone the next. I don't know which side of the family he gets it from," her sigh wasn't tired, but rather relenting as she smiled sheepishly. "Lanne, do you think you can check up on him? A little fresh air will do you some good, too." The redhead agreed silently and tried to track down the sandy brunette.

* * *

><p>When she left the house she was assaulted with the sunlight that hit the island. It seemed even brighter than her hometown and she shivered, already not liking her journey so far. Lanne closed her eyes and listened for the slightest sound that didn't fit in with everything else—a trick she learned after years of playing hide-and-go-bully in Edelstein.<p>

"Mir! Stop roasting the pigs!"

Her eyes snapped open and she hurried towards the source. Lanne hid behind a bush as she took in the scene before her. The boy, Evan, had his hands on his hips while scolding what appeared to be a large dragon. She had heard stories of a legendary dragon master and read a bit in the small library available to her, but she thought that it was all myth and legend. The dragon had an almost amused light in its eyes but narrowed in her direction. It growled and Lanne could see icy mana build up within its mouth. She jumped out of the bush before it was frozen solid from the blast and watched the dragon for any other attack.

"Mir!" the dragon stopped mid charge and growled submissively at the order. Evan sighed in relief and walked over to Lanne. "Please don't freak out! He's just—" The redhead backed away with eyes more fierce than before and Evan frowned deeply. "Mir, think you can leave for a bit?" The dragon nudged its head against his shoulder but the mage gave him a curt nod. Reluctantly the beast flew to chase more defenseless pigs. Evan tossed aside his wand and knelt down to her. In his simple attire, it looked out of place anyway. "I'm _so_ sorry about that, Lanne. He's just super protective!"

Lanne's eyes wavered ever so slightly when she saw his honest eyes and eased her guard once more. But her body was tense, ready for fight or flight. "What was that?"

"That's Mir. You probably won't believe me…but he's an onyx dragon." He gave her a sad grin. "I don't tell my family all the details. Being on the road, especially with him, is dangerous. We learned that the hard way. It's natural for him to be at least a little protective, right?"

She had to agree with him. He'd attract way too much attention. In fact, this conversation sounded strangely like the ones Claudine and the others would talk about—something about protecting something important. "If you know it's dangerous…then why did you bring a complete stranger to your own home and tend to them?" Lanne asked curiously. "For all you know, I could be a thief. A serial killer. A monster in disguise."

He chuckled sheepishly. "Being in a soul pact has its other perks I guess… Recently I've been able to tell if someone has ill intentions or not. Even if you were unconscious, I could sorta tell you weren't that bad."

"That bad?" she raised a brow and she waved his hands in front of his face nervously.

"Uh, I-I mean I know you weren't bad! I think… Uh, what I mean is…" he stumbled with his words and finally scratched his head. "There was some weird…aura about you. It made it hard to really distinguish."

"Aura?" Lanne cupped her chin and looked down in thought. She was reminded of the magic Brighton rarely performed. Had he done something to her that she didn't notice the last time they met? "Weird…" At last she gave a long sigh and got up.

"I don't get you but," he added. His blue green eyes bore into hers, free from guile and lies. "I trust you. Don't ask me why, but I do."

"I…see," The redhead felt uncomfortably strange about his statement. It was like taking a bite of cold ice cream with a warm dessert. She didn't know if she wanted to taste the ice more than the heat or vice versa, but the sweet undertone remained. It was foreign to her so she tried ridding herself of the feeling as fast as possible. "By the way, your mother wanted me to check up on you. Don't know why though."

His blue eyes blinked in confusion. "It's what moms do, isn't it?" Lanne remained silent and turned around. The sweetness suddenly turned bitter and all that remained was the fleeting memory of it. He noticed the tense air return and he reached out to grab her hand. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?" The redhead smacked his hand away and walked away into the forest. Evan stared after her in bewilderment and frowned deeply. He could feel her energies, which were once like calm lake, fluctuate like a coarse river. She was so hard to read. That foggy aura that surrounded her kept him from getting a clear image of her emotions and intentions, and yet it drew him in all the same. It was an occurrence that made Evan slightly uneasy. Just who is Lanne Hunter?

* * *

><p>Lanne panted as she took a breather against a large maple tree. Her back slid against the rough bark and she groaned in a frustration that came out of no where. Why was she so upset at his casual statement about mothers? Normally she'd shrug it off like nothing. She was used to it. In fact, his words weren't even meant to wound.<p>

"I wasn't expecting it. That's the _only_ reason why…" she chewed on her bottom lip. "Maybe I should say sorry…" Immediately, she shook her head and stood back up and straightened herself up before slapping her cheeks. "No. If I go back now, he's going to ask more questions. The faster I get to Ellinia, the better." The bushes suddenly rustled and she turned. "Evan? That's not funny…" All she heard in response was an inhuman groan and she froze. From the bushes, a large dark golem burst through. Her eyes flitted around for anything that she could use as a suitable weapon but none were to be found. Her legs hit the grass as she ran in a random direction, hoping that the creature was as slow as it looked. Lanne longed for the crossbow she took from that one boy or one of Claudine's knives. It hadn't even been one full day since she's arrived in Victoria island and already she was running.

A large explosion behind her startled her and caused her to trip over her legs. The redhead rolled in the dirt before recovering to get a closer look at what happened. Yellow sparks of electricity flashed in the air and the flapping of wings alerted her of a now familiar presence. "Evan?"

The mage, now garbed in his robes and armed with his staff once more, strolled right up to her and smacked her on the side of the head so fast that she couldn't react. His brows furrowed and he placed his hands at his hips. "You idiot! Do you know what could have happened if I didn't catch up to you?"

"I would have run away," she answered simply after restraining the urge to throw a rock at him or something for hitting her. His loyal dragon at his side prevented such thoughts from becoming reality, unfortunately.

"Then what would you have done without this?" Evan lifted up the satchel that she came with and he was awarded with the exact reaction he expected from her.

Well…maybe he wasn't expecting her to tackle him, too…

"Give it back!" Lanne demanded while reaching for it. Evan kept it out of reach with his longer arms but she still pinned his pelvis down with her body weight. The dragon snarled warningly at her but she sent a glare so fierce that it gave a low whine and hesitantly backed down.

"I'll give this back on one condition…" he laughed nervously after narrowly avoiding the hand that almost clawed his face off.

She huffed and eased the pressure on him ever so slightly. "What."

"I'm coming with you."

Both dragon and human gaped at the mage for a long while until she recovered and snatched the back away from him. Actually…snatching it back felt too easy now… "Are you crazy? You don't even know what you're getting yourself into!"

"Ah, but you unknowingly accepted the deal by taking the bag back from me." He said in a singsong voice and she cursed. Already she began formulating plans to ditch him, but the memory of his hospitality and trust made her hesitate.

"…Why are you helping me?"

"Maybe I want to help. Maybe I'm bored. Or…" Evan trailed off almost thoughtfully and then looked at his dragon. "Maybe I'm sick of dealing with my own problems so much that I'd rather do something else. Either way, it works in your favor. What do you say, Lanne?" He offered her a hand, which she stared at for a good moment.

"…Don't expect me to feel indebted to you. You're doing this of your own free will and it just so happens that I needed a guide. Remember that." Lanne got up and dusted herself off. Evan laughed and stared at both his and her set of clothes.

"Man, we just got these clean, too!"

"Quit complaining and point the way to Ellinia."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Now that I read some of their dialogue together, Lanne sounds kinda mean and bossy on that last line! But in all honestly, she just wasn't raised in an environment that allowed her to play around like a kid. More will be explained later, but know that she's not that mean, lol. I'm still getting used to writing a main character that's not happy in every single scene. Actually, I wanted her to give off the vibe of Miss Kiki from _Akagami no Shirayukihime_. God I love that manga! Zen reminds me of Kazuma from _Faster than a Kiss_!

It's a little slow here but next chapter picks up a little. Now, time to work on chapter four!


	4. City of Green

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Four: City of Green

Whoa, chapter four is so delayed... Anyway, I started making a Mercedes a few days ago and i'm in love with the mobility! I just can't raise 10mil b/c I HATE playing merchant in the fm. If I had to estimate how much money I could have made from merching, it ranges to at least 800mil (Well, from my BaM in Broa, not my Mercedes in Nova). The good news is, thanks to this I managed to finish this chapter before New Years! XD

Unfortunately, some of my classmates (_Some_ I don't mind knowing) found out my fanfiction account... -nervous face- Shit, there goes that special one-shot I was gonna do. And by special, I mean... Well, either limes or lemons (Hopefully they don't know that term!)

Anyways, this chapter is soooo wordy! CRAP! -lesigh- It's for the sake of the story! Special thanks to **Thanhnufia** and **WildOrion** for reviewing! ...-sigh again- and thanks Alexia for reviewing it when you were sitting right next to me in Fidlers class...

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><p><em>Six-year-old Lanne stared out the window of her guardian's apartment with large curious eyes. Edelstein was bustling with life today and almost everyone was out and about. Brightly colored balloons flew through the air and cheers filled the town with life.<em>

"_Lanne! Ready to go out?" Belle's voice called her from the first floor and the redhead jumped up in excitement. From inside, she could see a familiar green hair and playful grin that belonged to the cheerful woman. She always loved hanging out with Belle. The strawberry blonde wasn't overly protective like Brighton, who wouldn't let her near Belle's cat or Checky's toys. _

"_Coming!" the girl replied and grabbed her small purse that Claudine gave her for her birthday yesterday. When she met up with Belle outside, the older woman took her hand and the two of them went to enjoy the festivities._

"Hey, that girl… Doesn't she look familiar?"

"I heard she was 'unwanted' and her parents abandoned her."

_Little Lanne gripped Belle's hand tighter. The Wild Hunter sent murderous glares at the people around them to hush them up but the damage had been done. Lanne looked up at her with confused eyes. "Belle? What does 'unwanted' mean?"_

"_A-Ah, that…" Belle stuttered and tried to find the right words. "It doesn't mean anything right now, Lanne. If anyone ever calls you that they're lying, okay?_

"_Okay." _

_As they continued going down the street, the whispers began again and Lanne moved even closer to the Wild Hunter. Everyone's eyes were focused on her and they weren't pleasant either. Even the smiles in her direction were scary. _

"She looks a lot like her mother, huh?"

"Tch, I wonder where those two went. I wouldn't be surprised if they were in a ditch somewhere. Serves them right."

"_Belle?"_

"_Yeah, Lanne?"_

"_Mommy and daddy are just on a trip, right? They're coming back soon, right?"_

_Belle hesitated and considered telling the girl a little white lie—just until she was older. But when she took a look into the child's face she lost her resolve and pet her head affectionately._

"_I don't know, Lanne… I really don't know…"_

* * *

><p>If there was any decision she regretted, it might be that she allowed Evan to be her escort. Was he helpful? Sure. Monsters around Henesys were easy targets and making fires were a breeze when Mir was cooperative. Encourage him with a well-cooked meal and he'd gladly dive into the lake for the fish himself. Even better was the fact that the mage didn't question her that much either, which made Lanne somewhat relieved. He might chatter, but she actually enjoyed hearing his misadventures when he first started out a few months ago. So why was she regretting?<p>

"Laaaanne," Evan whined as Lanne's eye twitched. Now she remembered. They had been on the road for two days at most and more often than not Evan complained at the strangest of things. Sometimes it ranged from "I think I got a tick! Get it off!" to "Mir's picking on me!" It seriously made her doubt that he was the same age as her. Perhaps it was the lively and boyish look of his...

And the fact he whined like a baby could help, too

"What?" she asked but then held up a stern finger at him before he could answer. "I swear…if this is about you eating another poison mushroom I'll personally make sure you eat one." He hesitated for a moment but then grinned sheepishly. The mage pointed to his left arm that was red and swollen. Lanne took her water canteen out and poured water over the angry skin. Her eyes narrowed at his condition and she scolded him in a parental tone. "How did you ever manage to survive so long on your own?"

"Lots of trial and error," he said with a wince when he felt his skin get hot despite the cool liquid. "I'm just taking advantage of the fact that I have someone to complain to."

"Not for long if you keep this up," Lanne commented, half serious and she wondered if he could tell. She read the sudden concerned look in his blue green eyes and sighed deeply. "We should have this looked at. The plants here are a little different than the ones back in Edelstein, so I'm not too sure on how to make a poultice for this. How far is Ellinia from here?"

"I say half a day's journey left. But it's getting dark pretty fast in here since the trees block most of the light from the sun. The brighter it gets, the closer we are." Evan looked around for a decent stop and found a trunk filled with crystal clear water. "We should set up camp. Here should do. We're actually a little high up in the trees so be careful around ledges."

"Come to think of it, it _is_ lighter than when we first entered the forest… I thought it would be in reverse." the redhead commented as they began to check over their supplies. Evan gathered their water canteens and refilled them while Mir was probably hunting for game or something. She saw a few familiar herbs and carefully took a few samples to test. The coloring was a very dark green but the veins along the leaves were extremely pale, almost white. Carefully, she tore off a small leaf and popped it in her mouth to chew. Bitter, but it wasn't poisonous. In fact… Her hands found a flat stone and she took out a river pebble she picked up along the way here. Lanne tore some of the larger leaves and dampened them before grinding them into a dark paste that smelled of mint and dirt.

Evan came over with firewood in his arms and watched her work with a curious eye. "What'cha doing now, Lanne?"

"Let me see your arm," she insisted. He hesitated but then took his red gloves off. Compared to an hour ago it was much worse and she could clearly see scratch lines from what she presumed were from his nails. "Y'know, when you get a rash you're not supposed to scratch it…" He laughed nervously at her scolding tone and then lowered his head.

"Sorry. Usually when I get these kinds of things it doesn't itch as much, honest! This is the first time I've scratched a rash this much!"

While he was talking, Lanne got to work on putting the quickly made medicine on his arm. He took a sharp intake of breath when it touched the sensitive skin but made no other sound after that.

"Leave it there for a few minutes and the swelling should go down. If I had a pot I could warm up some water but…"

Evan shook his head and then smiled thankfully at her. "I think I have something in my bag but it's alright. Thanks, Lanne. This is more than enough." The redhead then shrugged and arranged the wood for a fire. The mage watched her place the twigs in the center of the larger pieced, which she arranged in a teepee and a box around.

"Hmm…I didn't see a lot of rocks on the way here…" she mumbled to herself. Heck, she wanted a fire but she didn't want to burn the forest down.

"Rocks? What for?"

Lanne stared at him in mild shock. "Don't tell me you've made fires without putting rocks around it. If so, then I'm surprised you haven't burned a town to the ground."

He pouted childishly. "Oh c'mon. Not like that. You don't need rocks. Mir uses his dragon fire, so it's comprised of mana. It'll only burn what he wants to burn…usually…" The mage murmured the last part quietly when he remembered the start of their adventure. The dragon didn't exactly have a lot of control…

"I see… Interesting," she looked at the dragon in interest but backed away when he started to come closer to her. Mir then looked back at the firewood and sent a controlled stream of flame to ignite the kindling. Just in time, too. The light escaping from the treetops were decreasing every second now. Mir curled up on the other side of the fire to be on watch first. The other two of them rested their backs against the broad trunk of the tree next to their bonfire and allowed a companionable to settle.

"You're family is really nice."

Evan turned his head to her, surprised that she was the one to break the silence that she usually enjoyed. He pulled his headband out of his hair and shook it out. "Yeah. They're alright. Ma likes being very 'cleanly' while my dad wouldn't care if I wrestled with the pigs in the mud. Don't get me started on Utah!" A chuckle escaped him as the memories came back to him. Lanne noticed the fond grin on his face and couldn't help but let the corners of her lips curve upward as well.

"How come you don't visit them much? Your family?" she asked after he had his laugh. The dragon master looked at her with wide eyes and then tilted his head while smiling again.

"What do you mean? Sure I do!"

"A while ago…you told me that you wanted to stop dealing with your problems…" Lanne pulled her knees up to her chest and held her hands out towards the fire. "I know that look. You want to stick around even after you escort me to Ellinia."

Evan furrowed his brows and frowned. The redhead noticed now that he looked a little older in the firelight. The shadows and flickering light against his face actually illuminated much more about him than the bright sun. Lanne could see traces of a man that has seen too much and refuses to tell anyone.

So instead of letting him react to her statement, she added: "You know…if you come with me you might not be able to see them again for a while. This is much larger than just going to see Grendel the Wise."

"Then tell me." He replied. His blue green eyes bore into hers and she had to look away. She didn't even know why she suddenly felt uncomfortable with him staring at her so intently. Evan took it another way though and sputtered. "W-Well… You don't have to. It's just that you know about me but I don't know much about you."

Lanne was quiet for a long time, simply staring into the flames. The mage looked down awkwardly before standing up and moved towards Mir to greet the dragon.

"I've told you this before, but I've lived in Edelstein for as long as I can remember."

Evan turned back to her and saw that she tucked her legs to the side now. No longer was she in the defensive position that she was in earlier and the mage took this as a good sign of their (hopefully) budding friendship. He came back with a loaf of bread and offered her half, which she accepted gratefully.

"I don't know much about my parents. I was brought up by my godfather and his friends." She continued her story, pausing every now and then as if to carefully choose her words. "Living there was…bearable. I always thought that if I had them then it would be alright. When the Black Wings came, they didn't make things easy for us but it was tolerable for a time."

"So, they bug you too, huh?" he commented and she nodded. Since she was still staring into the fire, she didn't see his fist clench. The crackling fire also masked over Mir's almost inaudible growl.

"Some of the members don't bother you as long as you don't look at them the wrong way while others are sick to the core. Eventually, Edelstein became their headquarters. They mine for the crystals we have in the mines and use the townspeople as workers." Lanne bit her lip in irritation. "And because the citizens don't have anything to fight back with, they can't do anything about it."

"So, what brought you to Victoria Island? Were you looking for help?" Evan asked curiously. "I'm pretty sure Erev might have a few extra knights but probably not enough for a rescue mission."

The redhead shook her head and held her knees in a vice grip. "…Edelstein was attacked."

Evan's eyes grew wide as saucers and he looked her up and down in wonder. It was almost as if he was looking for wounds that his mother might have missed when he found her. Lanne gestured to him that she was alright and answered his unvoiced question. "It wasn't the Black Wings. In fact, they were almost annihilated. Within an hour everything was burned to the ground… Everything…"

"Lanne…"

"We should get some rest. I'll take second watch after Mir and I'll wake you up later." She said with finality in her tone. He nodded slowly as he watched her look into her back for a blanket and turned her back towards him. He hadn't learned much, but now he knew why she didn't talk about Edelstein much. Her home had been razed to the ground so easily. Given the circumstances, he was surprised that she hadn't broken down. In fact, she just seems upset at most. If Henesy's was gone or heaven forbid his family's farmland he wouldn't know what to do. _That's_ why he never visited as often as he liked. He sent a glance to Mir before tucking in for the night as well.

* * *

><p><strong>Elsewhere...<strong>

"What do you mean, 'you can't find her'?" Noah bellowed and slammed his fist against the table. The small crystal figurines placed on a map of the world toppled. Some had even broken from the force of impact. "Don't you know how long our lord has been searching for this vessel?"

A lowly mage bowed her head meekly and cowered under the weight of his words. "I-I'm sorry, sir! The scouts detect that she has escaped through a transporter of some sort. It was destroyed in the battle so her coordinates are unknown."

The gold-eyed man growled and bit his thumb in frustration. "It was probably the work of that cursed Wild Hunter and her pet. Lord Glasya will not be pleased. No matter… We'll just have to send someone in." With a dismissive gesture he ordered the girl out, who gladly ran out of the room with relief in her voice. The dark haired man sat down in his throne and slouched wearily.

"I have not seen you this tired in a long time, old friend."

Noah's eyes darted lazily to the dark marble columns in the room as his fellow colleague came walking out of the shadows. "Surge. How graced am I to see you in my presence. Especially after your little blunder in Edelstein."

The platinum blonde ran a hand through his hair and leaned against a pillar with a bored expression. "How was I to know that she was the one? Besides, Lord Glasya won't last long in that body and you know it. I give it a year tops before she breaks."

"Ah, but you forget," Noah smirked as he eyed the vase of blood red roses near his seat. "Although a rose looks fragile, its thorns prove its resilience. Let's wait a little bit longer before deciding to clip her bud once and for all."

* * *

><p><strong>Ellinia Forest<strong>

"I hope I don't sound childish by saying this, but are we there yet?" Lanne asked and Evan caught a slight whiny tone in her voice. He turned his head back to her and laughed.

"Aw, I think I'm a bad influence on you, Lanne!" When she replied with a silencing glare, he coughed and pointed upward towards the hollow trunk of a tree. "A little farther. Just go through there." Lanne sent him a skeptical look as she looked into the blackness of the narrow tree. There was nowhere for it to come out. Noticing her confusion, he motioned for her to get inside and followed her in. The space was narrow and she felt claustrophobic in the dark with him. "Mir, see you up top!" The dragon nodded and flapped his great wings upwards. Lanne was about to ask what the heck he was doing when the mage suddenly pulled her close against his chest but stopped herself in her discomfort. "Hold on tight."

The redhead felt the world spin around her before everything vanished in a blur.

When Lanne reopened the eyes, she was met with what she assumed to be the magical town of Ellinia. The air sparked with life and mana. Houses were carefully built on the trees and wooden bridges formed the major pathways between buildings. The setting sun cast the green town with oranges and reds, signaling the end of day. Lanne's eyes brightened at the sight of such a town and Evan had to rub his eyes to make sure her excitement wasn't a trick of the mind. She looked younger—like a child seeing the world for the first time.

"Like it?"

"This is beyond everything I imagined…" she managed to choke out but pulled the mask of calm back on. "So, you know how to navigate? This place looks huge."

"This is nothing compared to Kerning, believe it or not. Well, at least to me. Here I don't have to worry about anyone attacking me—"Even before he could finish the sentence, the two of them saw winged creatures surrounding them. They all wielded either long spears or jeweled wands in their hands. The fairies of Ellinia glared at Lanne in particular. Lanne sent a 'you were saying?' glance to the mage and he shrugged sheepishly.

"Intruder! State your business!"

"Master Evan, are you alright? Miss Yvanne, check if he's bewitched!"

Evan waved the fairies that poked and prodded him away, sneezing from their dust in the process. Mir, who had just arrived, protectively flew towards his master. "Hey, hey, what's going on?"

The fairy Lanne deemed as Yvanne pointed at her with suspicious lilac eyes. "She radiates an ominous fate. We have already taken up precautions against the rise of the Black Mage. Surely you understand our means of defense to an unknown threat, Master Evan." She flipped her wavy ice blue hair and pointed her wand at the redhead. The dragon master clenched his fist but Lanne didn't have a moment to question why. The points of spears were all aimed at her neck and wands were glowing at the ready. "We'll take her to a controlled area where she can be watched."

"Wait, but she's—"

"Evan!" Lanne cut him off swiftly. Normally she would turn her head to regard him but took no chances in this situation. She rather liked her head on her body. "It's fine. They didn't say they were going to hurt me anyway. Focus on trying to get me an audience with Grendel."

"He is known as _Master_ Grendel the Wise, human," Yvanne sneered. Lanne raised a brow. She had thought fairies were supposed to be kind and all happy. This one looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the flowerbed. While Evan had to stay put, they escorted Lanne deeper into the town hidden in the trees. She had trouble recounting her steps because all the green made her head spin. They arrived at the trunk of a large tree where she was shoved in. The entrance was sealed with a barrier of magic and two guards stood in front.

"This is some good visitor's treatment you have here." Lanne commented dryly but, as expected, was ignored. She groaned and laid back on the bed of the sealed room, mildly surprised that it in fact actually was pretty good quality. With time alone to think, she opened her satchel and poured out the contents in her bed. The two books she picked up were still there, red bookmark in place. When she tried opening them they wouldn't budge. Lanne played around with the idea of a hidden lock but pushed the books aside for now. There were potions and pills in another pouch, but what caught her attention was a small leather-bound notebook. On top was a sealed envelope with twine tying the two objects together. "Brighton's handwriting…" Her fingers traced the smooth yet hurried ink strokes made by the street sweeper before breaking the red wax seal. The letter was written in code, but she quickly broke it. It was a code that Checky taught her a long time ago.

_Dear Lanne,_

_It was my dearest wish that the day you receive this letter never came. Since it has fallen into your hands, then I can only hope that you are safe, sound, and on the way to Ellinia. At the time I am writing this, Grendel the Wise is the one overseeing the town hidden in the trees. If he is still there, then he will assist you in any way possible. And you'll need all the help you can get! _

_There isn't a lot of time for me to explain. All I can tell you is your predicament and what you can do. Years before you were born, man thought that they could control what never will be controlled—demon magic. They discovered pact magic—a binding contract between a human and a demon. Grendel can tell you more._

_The war wasn't simply between Edelstein and Solomon's forces. He was only a pawn in a coup d'état ordered by a higher rank demon that fooled Solomon. Your parents figured out his scheme and tried getting rid of the source of the war. They weren't spies or anything else. And most of all, they loved you, Lanne. You weren't abandoned or tossed aside because you weren't wanted. It pains me that we had to keep you in the dark about them until now, but it was too risky. You weren't ready yet. At times, I still wonder why _you_ were the one to shoulder all of this._

_At this point of time, you must have noticed changes within you—a weird feeling in the pit of your stomach or maybe any strange markings that weren't there before. Don't panic. Just show Grendel and he'll explain as much as he can, seeing as I cannot disclose such information here._

_Lanne, you carry a heavy burden. One that will test you and the bonds you'll create on the journey you'll take. It's ultimately up to you on how you treat others, but let me tell you this: don't be afraid to let others in again. The world isn't like Edelstein. I won't say that there's no way you can get hurt—but don't close your eyes to things you're too scared to see. I pray that I can meet you once more and that at that time I will see a grown woman that has learned of what the world has to offer._

_With all my love,_

_Brighton Markham_

"Idiot…" Lanne murmured softly as she brought the letter close to her chest. "First you say you don't have time to write and then you write a whole page that barely tells me anything. You didn't have to use code for this." Upon skimming the letter one more time, she stared at the marking on her left hand.

If she had to describe it, it was composed of simple curved lines formed in the shape of a 'M' and 'V'. Above those was a single diamond. The mark both revolted and fascinated her, a contradiction that she greatly found concerning. Despite all her inhibitions of its origins it looked beautiful. Enticing even.

'_It is a mark of fate. You cannot escape it,'_ the voice that egged her back in Edelstein came back. She had forgotten its existence and for that reason, felt a pang of sadness in her chest. Realizing her feelings, Lanne shook such rebellious thoughts away. _'Even if you tell yourself you don't acknowledge my existence, your body tells me otherwise. It needs me. Why else would I remain if you really so desperately want me gone?'_

She turned on her side and drew her knees in close in an effort to escape the noise. Those actions backfired when the voice boomed even louder in her head, like thunder coming closer. But instead of frightening her, it purred smoothly in her ear. _'No matter how many people you meet or how many places you go, nothing will change. Nothing but this one truth: _I'm_ the only one that cares—the only one that will stay with you.'_

Lanne's eyes grew heavy and the letter slipped between her fingertips and onto the floor. Had she been getting enough sleep? The bed felt very comfortable and warm beneath her. Maybe she should lie down for a bit. Her mind slowly shut down as her body complied with the voice's wishes. Perhaps it was right. Maybe she did need it.

'_Yes, rest. I'll be here while you sleep._' The voice cooed and she could have sworn she felt a presence against her cheek._ 'Sleep, my little Lanne.'_

"That's enough of that." Lanne's eyes snapped opened and she saw a white robed figure at the door. The two guards outside were surprised at the figure that had materialized out of thin air. His white wizard hat barely fit into the room and his silver beard added to his image of wisdom. "You must be Miss Hunter, am I correct?"

"Master Grendel! You mustn't be here!" one guard cried out in concern but the man shook his head.

"When I had been told of a curious lot in Ellinia, I hadn't expected it to be the legendary Dragon master accompanied by Markham's goddaughter." At the name, Lanne nearly jumped out of bed. All the previous fatigue left her and she ran on adrenaline.

"You know Brighton, sir?"

Grendel nodded. "Ah, yes. A good amount of years back. But come now, child. This is hardly the place to speak of such matters. I will bring us to the magical library. Your friend is waiting there as well."

* * *

><p>"LAAAAAAANNE!"<p>

The redhead's brow twitched as she was greeted with the dragon master running towards her. If this was an anime, she bet she would see a sparkly background with flowers. The fairies giggling didn't help with the atmosphere either. At the last minute, she dodged his hug and focused her attention on the wise mage that hovered high above them now. She didn't see Mir shaking his head in disapproval but could imagine it happening.

"Evan Rockwell. Lanne Hunter. Ah, and Mir. You've grown quite big since last I've seen of you. What brings you to Ellinia at this time of conflicted peace?" the elder mage kindly asked. The dragon let out a growl of greeting before soaring up to the high ceiling and circled around—knowing that the conversation would not need him at all.

She looked to Evan for any means of help, but he simply gestured his hands towards her in support. The redhead took a deep breath. "Edelstein was attacked a few days ago. You may have heard of a mass movement of people that have headed towards Orbis at around the same time."

Grendle scratched his beard. "If my memory serves, Edelstein was under siege by the Black Wings, am I correct? I don't recall them being so hostile as to raid the town they made their base in."

Lanne nodded, remembering how easily even the Black Wings were defeated and so quickly. "No… It was another group entirely. They called themselves Ars Noctis." Even though she hadn't known the wizard for very long, she could see the signs of discomfort. It was like a poker game—his tell. The name definitely rang a bell and Lanne had to find answers. "Sir, I need to know who they are. They said they were looking for something—a vessel I think."

"…Can everyone but Master Evan and Miss Hunter leave the room?" The order was final and the fairies on guard reluctantly left the room. When he was sure that no unwanted presence was near, he descended to their level and hovered just above the floor. "Child, may I see your left hand?"

The redhead tensed up instinctively but offered her hand out. The mark she had studied only a few minutes ago was still there, black as night. As soon as he touched her skin it burned and she reflexively drew her hand back, cradling it to sooth the pain. His own hand smoked with a black aura and he stared at it thoughtfully. "As I suspected. I thought I felt a dark presence in the room. It seems like the Hunter's were right with their hypothesis."

At this, Lanne's eyes widened and she fought the urge not to grab the mage. "You know my parents? You know what happened to them?" Evan was surprised at the range of emotions in her usually calm and collected voice. There was confusion, anger, loneliness, and above all desperation.

"I do, but that is a story for another time and another teller. I am sorry," he lowered his head in apology while she lowered hers in shame for her disrespectful behavior. Grendel let this slid and surveyed her hand once more. This time, without touching. "You are certain that it was Ars Noctis that attacked Edelstein?"

"I'm sure," she answered confidently. She would never forget that day now, although it was too vivid and fresh in her head to recount aloud now. Grendel sighed gravely.

"Surely you've heard of Solomon's War—correct?"

Lanne thought back to Brightons letter and nodded hesitantly. "Only the basics… Like how Solomon wanted to rule over the maple world and enlisted demons to help."

Evan tilted his head in confusion. "What? I never heard of this story."

"That is because there are little to no records of it ever happening. The only information on the war lies within the memories of the survivors. All other scripts and tomes on the battle were lost or burned." Grendel answered the mage. "A tad bit strange, considering even my magic library has no information at all."

"Master Grendel," Lanne began and pulled out Brighton's letter. "Brighton said that you would be able to answer some questions. Like what exactly this mark is and what I have to do now."

He scratched his beard and allowed his eyes to droop reluctantly. "I shall child, but you will not like it. After I tell you, I will give you two options—none of which are easy."

"I accept."

"Then I will need time to prepare. You both can stay at the inn tonight and we can talk in the morning." The redhead saw the meaningful look in his eye and nodded reluctantly. Both her and Evan were escorted out and were given passes for their stay at the inn as honored guests—a privilege that felt strange to Lanne. The town was getting darker now and the warmth from the light was leaving the town.

Evan noticed Lanne slowing down her pace and laughed awkwardly. Mir tilted his head at his master's strange behavior. "H-Hey, we still have a little time before it gets too dark. Have you ever heard of a talking tree? No right? I'll show you tomorrow since it's a little dangerous at night." When she didn't react, he scratched his chin in nervous thought. "Oh, we're a little low on supplies. Wanna hit the general store? Maybe we can grab a bite to eat, too?" She suddenly came to a halt and Evan stopped a few steps in front of her. "Lanne?"

When she made eye contact she parted her lips but quickly shut them. There was a moment's hesitation before the redhead simply brushed past him in the direction of the inn. He heard the faint whisper of an apology past his ears and stared at her retreating form. Evan wanted to follow after her but he picked up a strange source of mana somewhere nearby.

"_Master…"_ Mir warned telepathically and Evan nodded. He grabbed his dragon wand and scanned the trees with sharp eyes. Because it was getting dark and the wind was picking up, it was hard to see anything out of the ordinary within the trees. With a shrug he hurried to the inn, casting wards on the doors keeping unwanted intruders at bay. For now.

* * *

><p>With the soft shift of the branch with his landing, a shady figure watched from the treetops with cool gray eyes. They momentarily flitted between the legendary dragon master and his pet to the head of bright red hair. His dagger resonated at her presence and a smirk touched his lips.<p>

"Looks like I found my grand prize…" he looked down at his glowing dagger. "Well, Valefar? Up for a little recon?"

"_You have that look again,"_ a voice told him telepathically. From the reflection of the weapon he could see the outline of a male figure staring back. _"I would not mess with that child. She's already marked."_

"That's exactly what I want," the figure kept studying her with a sharp eye. He was already formulating ways to break her. Although he had to reluctantly note that she was doing quite a bit of that to herself. As the two of them left the magic library, he noticed her change in posture and gait. The girl was worrying without knowing what to worry about! The man sighed in disappointment but at least got a show from the dragon master looking straight at his position. He evened his breathing, trusting the shifting shadows and the rustling of leaves to hide his presence. When the mage left, the man hummed in satisfaction. "Good. Looks like I won't get too bored after all."

* * *

><p>Sorry it took so long. I was stuck on this chapter. Originally this was where I was supposed to explain more and give Lanne some action but I moved it to next chapter. Already this is like, 6.4k words—way above my quota. Meh, oh well. The first draft only had 4.5k words and I didn't like it. Somehow, that made me add 1.9k words…Dang… There's probably some errors but I have no editor and this is a pretty long chapter. So SORRY FOR TYPOS AND ERRORS!<p>

Btw, in case people get confused…

'_Thoughts'_

"_Telepathy"_

_Flashback/SFX_

These are all italicized, but I think I make it easy enough to tell.

Mir can choose who he wants to hear him speak English. Currently, he doesn't speak to Lanne telepathically b/c he still doesn't like her too much, XD.

After the next chapter, I'll have Lanne's character profile up and a pic in the description since it's finally got to a certain point for her. And another note. At the time i'm uploading this, it is now 1:13AM XD. WHO NEEDS SLEEP?

So, please **review**! It's my legal drug for staying awake to write these!


	5. The Things we Do

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Five: The Things we Do

On the note of Aran and Mercedes showing up… I _DO_ have plans on more of the heroes showing up. Like seriously, I would ship FreudxMercedes so hard, XD. Just wait til I get to Phantom in the future.

Thank you **ThanhnuFia** for reviewing again! If you want some EvanxLanne moments, there are a few in this chapter! Currently I don't know if I'm going to pair Lanne up with Evan in the end since all the players haven't appeared yet, but I might as well have some fun with it while I can, right?

And **Reiya Rosso** (Formerly **Alice Freyre**)! I missed you! Yeah, personally I like the big differences between Lanne and Evan. They're like foils to each other (Oh, AP English, I for once thank you!). As for the demon thing, you're actually going to find out a little more in this chapter. Hehe…

And I have a new reader! Thank you **Mapleized **for clicking this story! Sometimes I get (shamefully) worried when there are new updates cuz I think that mine won't be seen. –sweat drop- I'm so glad you saw it. Actually, I was kind of scared that my writing described too much in a scene (Especially last chapter…). I'm glad I didn't overdo it! And yes, I have planned out most of the story (I usually plan the beginning/end—whichever comes to mind first and then I fix them so they fit together—and then I do the middle.) I find knowing where to start and where to end keeps the writer on tangent. I hope I can continue to impress you in the coming chapters!

I was going to have the entire Ellinia thing done in this chapter, but…might as well update this now. If I kept going, this chapter would have dragged on longer than I wanted. Hopefully I finish Ellinia and finally start their journey together next chapter. And since the part hasn't happened yet, Lanne's picture won't be available until next chapter. Sorry guys, =p. It's pretty much done though, so no need to wait other than the chapter.

For once, it's a chapter doesn't begin with a flashback or the ilk. Wow.

* * *

><p>Claudine's eyes fluttered open to a cracked ceiling. Her shades were nowhere to be found and her head felt like she had been hit with a ton of bricks. Not only that but her right hand felt numb, her chest heavy, and her legs like jelly. In fact, breathing was a chore for her. She looked to her side and noticed her precious comrade propped up against the wall adjacent to her—eyes closed with a look that looked anything but content. "Brighton?"<p>

He stirred at the sound of his voice and sobered from his 'nap'. "Claudine? You alright? You took quite the nasty hit back there." He crawled next to her and she noticed him favoring his left side.

"You're hurt."

The street sweeper allowed himself a low chuckle. "Can't hide anything from you, can I?" He pulled his hand away. A poorly wrapped bandage enveloped his torso and a large and days-old-looking bloodstain glared spitefully at her. His shirt was torn from what looked like a sword wound, but it secreted a familiar mana signature that wasn't too dissimilar to his own. "I've seen better days but I'll live." The thief job instructor's medical instincts bubbled within her and she willed her body to sit up. Brighton gently eased her back down and offered her a gentle smile against her harsh glare. "Save your energy, Doc. I'm fine but you yourself broke a few ribs and your hand. Doesn't it hurt? The painkillers should be wearing off about now…"

"Nope. Nothing I can't handle. " She answered. Claudine turned her gaze to her hand and noticed some discoloration and swelling despite the poor lighting conditions. She smiled bitterly. There goes her good knife throwing hand. "Brighton, where are we? And why the hell do I feel like Alex gave me a bear hug on my birthday…?"

"We're under the police station right now. The base was compromised and ransacked, so I brought you to the next best thing. You got hit pretty bad from a big guy that flanked you. I couldn't tell if you cracked the cement or if the cement cracked you!" He joked half heartedly, although the weary and still concerned look in his eyes told her that she gave him quite the scare. A part of her wanted to apologize but she stopped herself. They both knew the dangers from running this kind of group. Their luck had to run out some time or another.

The battle mage looked around the dusty room full of cobwebs and broken technology. "Remember this place, Claudine? It's where we learned how to survive."

The doctor smiled fondly as she too recognized the familiar scenery. "The Den… I haven't been here in years… Heh, makes me feel old." Claudine turned her gaze to the large cracked computer and sighed. "We should have cleaned this place up before we left. It's the least we could do after everything we've been through here."

"We actually might have to bless the fact we didn't use this base," Brighton pushed up against the wall to stand. "Since the tunnels coming here haven't been used for a while, no one knows about it except the current job instructors. No doubt, the base we were using had been compromised and the layout leaked." He dragged himself to the console, grunting from the pain of his wounds. The battle mage pressed a few buttons and the machine began to hum with the last tendrils of its life. A familiar lion insignia appeared on the cracked screen as it loaded data.

"Brighton…?"

He continued typing until he got to a certain folder that was labeled: 'defectors'. As he clicked it, a list of names and images appeared. He quickly scanned the list and let out an irritated curse as he slammed his fist down next to the keyboard. "Damn it!"

"What? Will you tell me what's going on? Believe it or not, being stuck here and useless isn't exactly a holiday," Claudine said sternly.

"It's Surge. I can't access his files or his tracking chip, but I'm sure of it..." Brighton bit his bottom lip and lowered his head. "That man… He looks exactly how I imagined Surge to look after all these years. To think he'd be siding with them is unthinkable…!"

The screen blinked with ominous red text: '**DATA CORRUPTED**' over and over again before disappearing—just like the hope that Brighton once had for his old friend.

* * *

><p>Grendel rubbed the wrinkles between his brows and sighed while the quarreling job masters went at it at the round table. If their weapons weren't resting at the weapon rack he bet an all out brawl would break out.<p>

"If you weren't so busy being a professional stalker, then we wouldn't have to worry about a lack of reinforcements or intel!"

"S-Stalking? Blending in with the shadows for recon missions isn't enough for you?"

"You insolent pup! Where are your trainees on the front line? We got more help from Empress Cygnus's knights in a week than you in a month!"

"'_Pup'_? Oh right, I keep forgetting your real age, hag—"

"Enough!" Grendel's voice boomed throughout the large room. The two job masters froze and slowly backed away. The elder shook his head in disgrace. "You two should not be arguing in times like these. Yes, we are all worn and weary from stress but it mustn't rule over us. Athena, although your archers are impressive on the battlefield, the Dark Lord's subordinates are still a force that we cannot do without. They took a large hit on the last raid in El Nath so his available men are low." The elf pouted but her eyes were downcast in apology. Grendel then turned to the thief. "And you. I expected a bit more from you as well, Dark Lord. Athena is also dealing with problems on her end. Rumor has it that a faction of unknown origin is making a move near Henesy."

The Dark Lord and Athena both mumbled apologies before the elf started up. "Dark Lord, have you learned anything about this new group?" An olive branch was offered and he took it grudgingly.

He crossed his arms and closed his eyes in thought. "There's nothing much I can say. They seem to appear in small groups but the way they move is remarkable… It's all too organized to be some random cult. There haven't been any incidents involving direct conflict but it looks to me like they're just scouts. And the timing is impeccable—considering the Black Wing's are spreading their influence fast."

"Do you think they're working for the Black wings?" Athena added thoughtfully. "There have been incidents in the past where gangs or extremist groups will attempt to join the Black Wings. Perhaps it could be a result of their influence or something like that?"

The mage shook his head. "No… If what I suspect to be true, then they aren't in league with the Black Wings. Dark Lord, you said that they're too organized to be a new group, correct? So what if it was something else—something from before the time of the Black Wings?"

"Master Grendel, what are you saying?"

"I met with a few travelers yesterday that informed me of terrible news. Edelstein was recently attacked and razed to the ground." He said and the archer job instructor suddenly stood up from her seat, causing it to clatter loudly to the floor. Just the same, the thief held a shaken up expression behind his mask.

"What?" They echoed.

"Why weren't we notified?" Athena asked in horror as the Dark Lord clenched his fists tightly.

"Remember? They're acting independently now. There's no way we could have known or reacted fast enough… What _I_ want to know is how you came upon this information, Grendel." The thief narrowed his eyes suspiciously out of nasty habit. "Just who are these people you met with?"

"One is the legendary dragon master. You must have met him at least once, Dark Lord. The one accompanying him, and the one who gave me this information, was a young woman that managed to escape from the carnage."

Athena frowned and hesitated before inputting her own opinion on the matter. "Master Grendel… Are you sure she can be trusted? Sure, Evan is with her but regarding the incident involving him… It cost us a great deal. Evan is a dependable and trustworthy boy, I know. Sometimes _too_ trustworthy."

"I have checked her myself. Also, do either of you know about the Hunter family in the war some odd years ago?"

"Hunters… You mean Lucas and Elyna Hunter? A bit. Not a lot of information about them was disclosed, although it's been a legend between the Wild Hunters that come here from Edelstein. They were vital in ending the war, weren't they?" Athena answered while pursing her lips in thought. She turned an eye to the thief and wasn't surprised to see a disinterested and glib stare. "What do they have to do with this?"

The wise magician allowed himself a small knowing smile and chuckled. "When you speak with her, you'll understand. She's young, but she might just be the thing we need to beat the Black Mage."

The Dark Lord rolled his eyes. The way the conversation was going, he couldn't help but add his own little quip in. "That is if we'll even see her before she gets killed… Should I prepare a welcoming committee or have I been beaten to it?"

* * *

><p>'<em>You can still hear me, can't you?'<em>

Lanne hugged her sides and shut her eyes tightly. "Stop it…"

'Why? I thought you wanted this?'

"No, not this…" She crouched down, still holding onto herself desperately and rocked back and forth ever so slightly. Everything around her was too bright—too vibrant for her eyes to handle. Lanne just wanted to crawl back into the safety of the base or under the covers of her bed. "Anything but this…"

'_But… We had so much fun!'_ The voice whined childishly. _'Don't you want to play again?'_

Lanne felt her hands get sweaty and she wiped them on her clothes. When she felt more moisture than she expected, she looked at her hands and fell backwards. Her palms were stained with fresh crimson. "Wha…!"

'_Won't you play with me?'_

"…nne…Lan…! **Lanne**!"

Her green eyes snapped open. She was met with the ceiling and the concerned eyes of her companion. _'A dream?'_ she thought. Lanne's head ached and she fought the urge to sit up, lest the pain increase tenfold. "What time is it…?"

"It's about five forty right now. Are you okay? You looked like you were having a nightmare!" Evan frowned and handed her a glass of water that he conveniently had after helping her sit up. He noticed her stare at her hands with a grimace. Upon further inspection, she was trembling ever so slightly. "You're pale, too. Maybe we shouldn't see Grendel today. I'll go tell him you're sick right now—"

"I'm fine, Evan. It was just a nightmare. It's completely normal to have one," she insisted as Lanne felt the pain in her head recede. The cold water woke her up a little and she saw that Evan was already dressed in his bright red attire. "A little early to be dressed, isn't it?"

The mage chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Haha…old habits die hard I guess. I've lived on a farm for most of my life after all!" Suddenly he paused to stare at her blankly for a bit before his face slowly matched the shade of his robes.

Lanne looked down at her own clothes and then quickly hid under the colorful quilt. "Evan…"

"Already on it!" he shouted embarrassedly and zoomed out the room faster than you can say teleport. The redhead forgot that the fairies declined her request to give her cotton shorts and a shirt. Instead, they handed her a rather simple white nightgown that she refused to put on until Evan fell fast asleep. Unfortunately now her efforts were in vain.

At his speedy exit Lanne couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself before kicking the warm covers off. She grabbed her clean clothes and hurriedly pulled them on. Personally, she liked taking showers at night as opposed to first thing in the morning. At least by then she could sleep clean and without the built up dirt and grime from the day.

"Miss Hunter? Unfortunately, Master Grendel will be occupied for the majority of the day. You'll have to meet with him later. A fairy will come to fetch you when he is ready for you." an unfamiliar voice called from the door. She huffed in frustration. A small piece of parchment slid under the door soon after, which she read with a critical eye.

_Meet me outside when you're ready. I bet you're starving!_

_-Evan_

Lanne rolled her eyes half peeved that the important message she thought it would contain was false and half thankful that the dragon master was so carefree. It was a pleasant change from her days in Edelstein.

When she walked out of the inn she saw Evan waiting for her. His arms were crossed over his chest and he looked up at the tree canopy with a bored look. His head turned to her when he sensed her presence and he offered her a friendly grin. Once again she was at a loss. No one in Edelstein ever gave her a smile that warm to her in broad daylight (save Claudine and the others but that was a given). The dragon master continued to surprise her.

Strangely enough, she didn't want him to stop.

* * *

><p>On second thought, she spoke too soon…<p>

"Evan…can we go back now?" Lanne's eye twitched as she stepped out of the changing room for the umpteenth time. The dragon master had dragged her into what she assumed was a store for armor and was instead forced into…girly articles of clothing. Lanne didn't even have time to question why they had those at the _armory_. She shuddered at the uncomfortable draft between her legs. How could any girl travel in these—these _curtains_ made to look like clothes!

"Aw, but you look pretty!" he insisted. The fairy nodded and circled around Lanne. She frowned and once again shifted uncomfortably—totally unused to the comment and at a loss as to how to respond.

"Your hair is so interesting… I've never seen anyone with natural red hair like this! Even us fairies have a hard time with a shade like this! I'm so jealous!" the blue haired fairy giggled and played with the long red locks of hair. "Your parents must be so proud to have a daughter like you!"

Lanne stiffened even more and Evan immediately felt guilty awkwardness. Of course, the fairy wasn't at fault but he couldn't shake away the sight of her cringing at the mention of parents and home. He scratched the back of his head and then laughed forcefully. "Hey, Lanne. As a sign of forgiveness, why don't you pick something you like instead of these dresses? My treat!" She looked at him with a glare upon remembering that she was forced here in the first place but nodded with what he dared to call a pout.

"Fine. But I'm picking whatever I want."

"Deal!"

As she picked out easy to maneuver clothing, his gaze shifted to the window.

"_You felt it too, Mir?"_ Evan asked through his soul pact with the dragon that was stationed outside.

"_It's different from yesterday, Master. And this time, they're moving in the morning. Either they're naive into thinking you didn't notice them yesterday, or this one is completely different."_ Mir replied and Evan turned back to Lanne who was scrutinizing the price tags and haggling with the vendor. The dragon master did a quick inventory of his supplies and took note to take Lanne to the general store next.

'_Edelstein is pretty much gone, considering what she told me, so it's not they'll miss one single girl. Not only that, but it's pretty hard to enter through Ellinia without being detected. Who would want to risk following her all the way here?'_ He frowned deeply from his thoughts and came upon another question that was far more pressing. _'Just _why _are they after you, Lanne?'_

"Master Evan?" called a voice and he turned to see Yvanne, the fairy that stopped them upon entering Ellinia. He smiled a little in hopes that she didn't notice his discontent expression.

"That's my name. What's wrong?"

"Master Grendel has arrived and will be ready to receive you two within the hour," the blue haired fairy turned a distrusting eye to Lanne and frowned. "Please be sure to be on your best behaviors. He is quite tired from his earlier engagement."

"Will do. Thanks Miss Yvanne." The dragon master sent her a small wave as the fairy quickly left the shop. Upon doing so, Lanne appeared with a bag in her hands and a curious expression.

"What's wrong, Evan?"

The mage parted his lips a few times before giving her a boyish grin as he ruffled her hair a bit (he quickly stopped after seeing her harsh glare). "Grendel came back but he's resting for a bit. Mind coming with me to the general store 'fore we go? Maybe you need a few lady products…?" _Smack_. "Ouch! I was kidding! …But really, do you need anything?"

"Evan… Just go."

* * *

><p>After careful consideration, Lanne decided to do her own personal shopping when Evan was at least a town away. So now, she just helped him pick out potions and food supplies for when they went back on the road. Soon after they were done, a few fairies fetched them and brought them over to the magic library where Grendel the Wise waited for them.<p>

"Master Evan. Miss Hunter. Forgive me for my sudden leave. I had pressing matters to attend that could not wait."

The dragon master grinned boyishly once more and folded his hands behind his head. "Nah, it's cool. Lanne and I killed some time together."

"Oh?" he raised a silvery brow and the young male teen suddenly had a pink tint on his cheeks. Lanne stared at both of them with a confused expression. Why was he so embarrassed? Was there some deeper meaning to being with each other?

The elder job master chuckled for a short time before bowing his head slightly. "All that aside, Master Evan, but I'm sorry. Can you wait outside? This is a matter I need to speak with Miss Hunter alone. A message arrived for you from Henesy, now that I think about it. Miss Yvanne will give it to you. Rest assured, I will fill you in at another time but right now Miss Hunter cannot afford to have any…distractions."

The dragon master stared at him incredulously and parted his lips to protest. However, Lanne was one step ahead of him and regarded him with narrowed eyes. She was grateful for Evan showing her around Ellinia, but if the amount of information given would be less because of his presence then even he would become a hindrance in her eyes. Evan stiffened at her gaze. She felt slightly guilty at the sight of his hurt expression and hoped that he saw the apology in her frown following soon after.

Instead of fulfilling that wish, he turned his back to her and made his way to the door. His red robes fluttered with a dramatic flourish. "Fine."

When he left, Grendel regarded her once more. "Miss Hunter. I do hope my behavior just now didn't put a gap between you two." Grendel offered his apologies and Lanne sighed while slanting her lips in a half smile and half frown.

"I think he'll be okay. Although, that's the first time I've seen him give up so easily." She said and wondered just how much this mage has influenced the dragon master. Had they trained together? There's no way Evan could have learned to handle Mir all by himself, right? "…was he like this when he started out?"

"Somewhat. He was still young in mind and body when he began his journey some months ago. As I see him now, he seemed to have aged far beyond his years. It's a transformation I both rejoice and lament at. He's seen and experienced some things a grown man would have nightmares about…" At the end of his sentence he coughed as if to stop himself from saying too much. Lanne furrowed her brows at the action. There's no way a magician of his caliber would have let that slip so easily to a stranger. Had he done that on purpose? "Now on to more pressing matters. I cannot tell you about what your parents did in the past, but I can tell you the basics and what you'll encounter." He waited for her go-ahead before he continued. The mage waved his staff and an image appeared on the wall. It was the same one on her left hand. "This normally acts as proof of contract with a demon. This is a blood pact that cannot be broken, lest misfortune descend upon the contracted and the ones around them."

"Blood pact…" Lanne repeated quietly. A faint memory pounded against the back of her head.

"…_called upon thee… of Hell…"_

"…_I accept this payment…Markham…"_

"…_bond…tied… share"_

"It's an irrevocable bond between two souls. Pact magic was what began the war in the first place. A human breeched the land of the gods and made a contract. You may recognize the name Solomon," he continued and Lanne was reminded of the stories Belle and the others would tell her. "Not many know this and even less choose to disclose the story. It would be wise not to spread this knowledge, understand Miss Hunter?" When she nodded, Grendel paused to construct his words. "The demon he made a contract with was known as Glasya Labolas—a dangerous entity of hell that feeds off violence and manslaughter. It is said that the revival of this demon could be on par with the return of the Black Mage—if not worse. The Black Mage wants control over the maple world. The demon Glasya sees the world as nothing more than a plaything to pass the time and his favorite game is quite bloody."

At description, her whole body shivered and the mark on her left hand began to sting. She had gotten used to the pain, but it irked her nonetheless. Grendel gauged her reaction carefully. "To be able to fight, you will have to form a pact with a demon."

"Why me?" she finally asked the question that had been nagging her for a while now. Surely there were more capable warriors than her. Even Evan had said that Erev could spare a force or two. And judging from the magical capabilities of Ellinia, Lanne could hardly believe that she had to make the pact.

"If my hypothesis is correct, then the people that attacked Edelstein were after one thing: the vessel in which Glasya sealed itself in. To that end, they will stop at nothing to get it. If Markham and the others weren't expecting this then the casualties would have been dire, Miss Hunter."

Lanne bowed her head. Her red bangs shielded her eyes from his vision as she spoke down into her lap. "…They burned down the town…for a vessel? They destroyed _everything_ for that?" she said with a steady voice that unnerved even the old mage. She then chuckled bitterly. "So now what? Are they going to perform some ritual to bring him back? Some sacrificial lamb thing or some other?"

"They didn't find it."

"They didn't find it…" Lanne repeated and met his eyes once more. He finally saw the despair in her face and felt remorse for what he would say next.

"They didn't find it because you're the vessel, Lanne Hunter."

'_Don't you want to play again?'_

"Should they find you, you're the one that will bring the world to a screeching halt."

'_Won't you play with me?'_

* * *

><p>Evan didn't say anything during the walk back, nor did he do so when they entered the hotel once more that night. Grendel had filled in some pieces of information but the dragon master couldn't fathom how any of that could have put her in her state. When she left the room her green eyes, which were filled with a quiet fire, were now a dying flame. She responded, yes, but her eyes weren't seeing him anymore.<p>

"_She'll have to explain it to you, Master Evan. If _I_ told you, it would affect her final decision." _Those were the last words Grendel left him with. Evan nagged him over and over (Even Mir joined in!) but the mage would not budge. As they arrived at the doors of their respective rooms, Evan tapped her shoulder to catch her attention. She turned to her with an inquisitive look in her eyes that got him off guard.

"Uh…Lanne."

"Yes?"

"You know… If you ever have any troubles you can talk about it with me," he stated clumsily as he looked down at his feet. "Okay?"

"Mm. Sure." Was all she said and she entered her room without another noise. The dragon master sighed in defeat and entered his own room. He threw his red robe on the coat rack with practiced ease and kicked his shoes off to the side.

"Mir?"

"_Yes?" _the dragon lifted his head from his spot near the bed where he was comfortable.

The brunette plopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "Am I easy to talk to?"

_"As much as I hate to say this master, but my answer to that would be pretty biased wouldn't it?"_

Evan groaned in frustration and shifted onto his stomach. He hugged an extra pillow to his chest and pouted. "What can I do?"

_"Just let it play out."_ The dragon settled down once more while Evan continued to stare warily at the ceiling. He barely knew anything about Lanne but he really wanted to help her out. Well…he wanted to help _everyone_, but after the incident with the Black Wings he felt guarded. He never told anyone this, but he felt deep shame whenever he hesitated in helping someone after he was deceived and used as a pawn. He never told Lanne that he even had the thought of abandoning her when he first saw her even before Mir gave him the idea; in fear that she wasn't _real_.

"What kind of hero am I?" he asked himself as he sat up and threw his pillow against the wall in anger. Anger at the Black Wings. Anger at himself. Anger at the damn spirit pact!

Mir whimpered in his sleep and Evan immediately regretted it. It wasn't Mir's fault that he was chosen as his master. Evan shifted over and stroked the scales on Mir's head. "Sorry, partner. I didn't mean it, honest." The dragon settled down again and the mage smiled to himself. If it weren't for Mir, he probably would have given up a long time ago. He would have abandoned the small dragon. Heaven knows what could have happened if that happened!

His ears caught the sound of a door opening nearby and he furrowed his brows in suspicion. No one should be up at this time. Fairies loved sleeping early so they could bask in the morning sunlight. He waited a little before grabbing his wand, slipping his shoes on, and following the faint footsteps.

When he left the inn, he followed the trail of mana to the outskirts of Ellinia. The moon peaked through the trees and lit the path. The trees twisted and turned until he arrived at a clearing. The owner of the mana was sitting down on a fallen log by a patch of clovers. Evan sighed with a lopsided grin and walked over.

"You're going to get sick, y'know." He said and sat down on the log beside her. "Mind telling me why you're by yourself in the middle of the night, Lanne?"

The redhead slid down from the log and knelt down into the patch of white clover flowers. She picked two and twirled the short stems between her fingers. One of them slipped and fell to the earthen floor while the other turned downward as it dripped with dew-filled tears. "…Why do you want to talk to me, Evan? I'm not fun at all. I'm not liked by a lot of people. I'm not even strong enough to support you if we _do_ travel. We're completely different, so why? Why are you trying so hard to get to know me, Evan?"

"Because—"he stopped and figured explaining himself would get him nowhere in her state. He also slid off the log and sat down beside her in the patch of white flowers. "Growing up, I used to envy the travelers that would pass by the ranch." The dragon master refused to meet her confused look because it would probably shake his resolve to tell her the things he planned to tell tonight. "It was like they had no problems in the world. Eat. Sleep. Travel. That's all there was to it. And where was I? Stuck at my parents ranch, waiting to succeed the business. For a time, I was okay with it. I resigned myself to it. It was the best way to forget how jealous I was of other explorers." He chuckled softly. "Fate has a funny way of giving us what we want, eh Lanne?"

"You…don't like being a traveler—a _hero_?"

"Ah, correction. _Descendent_ of the hero. Or reincarnation, or whatever I am." Evan grinned weakly and Lanne could once again see the worn and weary look on his face. "If anything, this title has done more harm than good to me. Everyone expects me to do some wonderful magic that can save the world in one wave of my wand!" To add emphasis, he swooped his weapon over the flowers and a soft white light engulfed them. Lanne felt his warmth through his magic and reached out her hands to it, but it disappeared before she could. "Believe me, I wish I could. But I'm still just a kid. I'm only one person. If I _did_ make a difference, it definitely wasn't for the better…"

Lanne noticed that his tone told her that he wouldn't delve into that topic—not yet. Her first impression of the dragon master was that he was brash, headstrong, childish, naïve, and everything else in-between. Now when she saw his conflicted emotions she berated herself for being so biased and selfish. Just because he put up a good and friendly front didn't mean that he didn't have his share of troubles.

"I'm sorry." She finally said and Evan clapped her shoulder with a wide grin on his face.

"Aw, c'mon. Don't gimmie that! I didn't come out here in the middle of the night for you to say 'sorry' to me!" he got up and dusted his shorts off before offering a hand to her. "You gushed your story to me before. It's only fair I deal one out too, right?"

The redhead glared up at the mage and he laughed nervously. In the end, she ignored his hand and got up by herself. After a few seconds, she turned to regard him with a pensive gaze. "If one person can't make a difference…then what about two?"

"Lanne?" He saw the determined light in her eyes come alive again and a small part of him was proud of her. Whatever was bothering her wasn't anymore and for that he was grateful to help at least one person.

* * *

><p><strong>CLICHED PLOT ALERT!<strong> Okay, I'm done. (A little late for the warning though)

Sorry 'bout that, lol

This chapter mainly served to bring Evan and Lanne a little closer in terms of friends (or are they?). But it also will lead into the next chapter. I wonder what Grendel told Lanne that he couldn't tell Evan? Hehehe…

There are probably errors cuz I don't have an editor and as I was writing the last part I was swooning over a voice actor on youtube. I will _never_ look at Boris the same way again (From Heart no Kuni no Alice)…

Boris: "Now just wrap your hand around it and give it a little stroke…haha, that 'a girl."

Me: -SWOOOON-

…just saying, they're talking about a gun…

Also, when I was running low on ideas, I ended up writing english dub lyrics for "A wonderful meow life". I wish I could sing it but I don't have a proper mic or partner… But I loooove the lyrics I wrote now, XD.


	6. Pact Magic

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter 6: Pact Magic

**ThanhnuFia**: I know. I purposely made it so Evan doesn't know if he's actually his descendent, reincarnation, or just an unlucky successor (Or both. Either way, he thinks he's unlucky in the end). I wanted to stray _a bit_ from the Maplestory truth to go along with the plot I'm planning. Sorry about that! And as for possible Mercedes's pairings…hmm…you might get mad at me later then, XD. Nah, you got a point. But we'll just have to wait and see how the story goes on then, ne?

**Reiya Rosso**: Yup. Wouldn't it be fun to harness the powers of hell? XD, kinda scary though. We'll just have to find out just how these demons will affect her then. Also, I have to regret that I did not make up Glasya Labolas. In fact, Glasya in an actual demon in Solomon's Key. Wiki him and it'll give you some info that I haven't let out just yet if you don't wanna wait, hehehe… All I can say is that he's kind badass and perfect for his role in this story

**WildOrion**: Why thank you very much! I'm glad what I have so far isn't too dense in words and information. Whew…

This chapter will (hopefully) end the Ellinia chapters and start their journey.

THE INTRO FLASHBACKS RETURN!

* * *

><p><em>"Whew. This looks right so far." The man said confidently as he clapped his hands free of excess chalk. A large circle was drawn on the floor as well as strange symbols and words. He grabbed a book from the table and skimmed through the pages. "And now a sacrifice to make the bond…"<em>

_As he said these words, a little girl came down the stairs to the basement with tired green eyes. The door was slightly ajar and she pushed it open ever so lightly. She was about to call his name but stopped when she saw the strange things going on in the room. The man that took her in as a baby had a knife to his hand and she stared at the liquid that dripped down onto the white chalk circle. It was crimson—a shade much deeper the red of her hair. The man spoke words in a language she could not understand and the air in the room began to shift. It grew heavy and thick and she had a hard time breathing. Because of that, the girl never noticed the quiet pain in her left hand. At last, the man spoke in the common tongue._

"_And I beseech you, Lord and Prince of the fires below. Answer to me and I will you!" The small droplets of blood on the floor suddenly ignited into a flame that grew and suddenly formed into the shape of a majestic red horse with a silvery mane. _

"_Human. You have called upon thee, Prince of Hell and commander of legions twenty." It spoke words of power and the girl shivered in fear and awe in the presence of such a creature. "I demand to know why."_

"_I wish to make the pact," the man met eyes with the demon bravely. "At the cost of my blood, my power is yours. At the cost of your power, your blood is mine." Its dark eyes studied his for a moment before tossing its head and neighing._

"_Interesting. I accept this payment. Now come, complete this pact. Mine name is Orobas, Human. What is yours?"_

"_Brighton Markham."_

"_Very well. By bond we tied, thus power we share." Its body glowed and vanished, leaving only a glass-orbed staff in its wake. Brighton took it and marveled at its feel. However, in moments the excitement on his face was replaced with a grim realization. He finished the phrase._

"_And by power we share, two fates are now made uncertain."_

_Lanne didn't understand these words. In fact, she forgot them by night's end. Too shaken from the pressure and dark eyes. But what affected her most was the painfully familiar aura that she could remember in a time long before her eyes even opened._

* * *

><p>As Lanne stood before the elderly mage with an air of determination, she had to think back on what happened in the span of 24 hours. Rewinding back to Grendel telling her the truth sufficed for her.<p>

"_I'm_ the vessel? Me? You sure you didn't get it wrong?" she repeated incredulously after the mage told her the truth. Grendel nodded gravely and gestured to her left hand.

"That is proof of contract. You may not remember it, but you were involved in pact magic long ago. You were exposed to it even before you were born, Miss Hunter." He explained and Lanne felt her knees weaken. The mage noticed and pulled a chair over with magic to catch her. She muttered a quiet 'thank you' and held her head in her hand.

"Before I was born?" Lanne stiffened. "You mean my mom made a pact?"

Grendel seemed to hesitate but shook his head. "In a way, yes, but not in the way you think. You parents definitely fought against the demon Glasya Labolas with their own power, but certain…aftershocks could not be avoided. The demon placed a curse on your mother in order to be reborn once more into the world. At the time, I can only imagine that she wasn't aware that she was pregnant with you or else Lucas would never have let her near the battlefield." The mage allowed himself a small smile but Lanne ignored it.

'_Is that why? Is that why everyone in Edelstein hates me? Because I'm cursed? Did everyone know?'_ she thought as she bit her bottom lip because of her conflicting emotions. Grendel sensed her negative emotions and sent her a soothing gesture.

"No one but the Job Masters knew, Miss Hunter. In fact, they're the reason why you haven't been found before now." He explained and relaxed when he felt her fluctuating emotions still. The stored up mana in her body was building up and pretty soon it would be too dangerous to keep dormant. Her negative emotions would do more harm than good to her body now. "Before I explain more, I need to ask you something. The way you are now, Ars Noctis will find you and nothing will stop them from completing their plans. Tell me, do you want to fight or do you want to survive, Miss Hunter?"

She met his eyes with a confused expression. Didn't she have to fight to survive? Now there was a difference? "Master Grendel, I don't understand…"

"Simply creating the pact isn't the most dangerous part. You already are contracted, but to ensure Glasya won't take you over is to make two demons struggle over one body. It will be dangerous and even more painful if you survive. Normally a body is supposed to house one soul. Two is straining it, but with three you can easily lose your individuality. Dying would be easier." He said and Lanne despaired.

"And my other option?"

"…We can seal you away until we can figure out a way to remove the pact. But mind you, no one has been able to break a demon's contract. We would only be delaying the inevitable."

She smiled bitterly and got up out of her seat. "Either way, I lose out, huh?"

Grendel put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "I'll let you think about it tonight. Tomorrow I'll have preparations for either decision. It pains me to have to rush you but I don't have to say time is of the essence, do I Miss Hunter?" when she shook her head he let her meet back up with the dragon master. The mage's shoulder slumped when the doors closed. "It's all up to you now, Master Evan."

It wasn't that she had fallen completely into despair by herself. In fact, she hadn't noticed her different behavior until Evan started asking if she was alright. He even voiced out his own inhibitions to try to get her to tell her own. A part of her felt she was being unfair to the dragon master. He bared himself to the her so quickly while all she told him was the state of her town.

'_Don't you think it's easier to just go as you are?'_

It was the infernal voice in her head that made her act like she had that night. She couldn't help but listen to its persuasive voice. It annoyed her to no end, but at the same time it comforted her and clouded her judgment.

_'There's no need to risk your life. Even if your parents did, do you have to?'_

Finally after all this time, the voice had made a grave mistake. At the mention of her parents, the fog around her mind disappeared and she shoved the voice's presence away. Before it left completely, it left her with a quiet warning.

'_Can you bring yourself to do it?'_

* * *

><p>"So, you've made your decision?"<p>

Lanne nodded and took a step forward as if to prove her point. "Yes. I'm going to make the pact."

"Are you sure you've prepared yourself accordingly?" Grendel asked with staff in hand. "There's no going back once you've started the pact magic." She nodded once more and proceeded to tie her long red hair back. Her green eyes burned with determination. Grendel saw the shadows of Elyna and Lucas Hunter and had to turn away lest his old eyes betray him.

She was escorted into a dome shaped room while Evan had to wait in an adjacent room (albeit reluctantly). Entwined branches of varying thickness acted as the ceiling and the smooth hardwood flooring was marked with chalk images that Lanne remembered from her childhood. Alchemic symbols and smells of incense filled the room. Grendel turned to regard her once more.

"If you are adamant about this, then I must warn you now. With every pact, a payment must be made. It cannot be of too much importance or too little. At best if you fail in choosing the correct payment, the magic will wound you. At worst, it will kill you. Are you sure?" He spoke in a tone that sounded hopeful—as if he wanted her to say no. But Lanne was sure.

"I'm not going to lay down or die only for Glasya to be revived into another vessel. And I'm not doing this just because I don't have another choice. I want to be in control of my fate." For the first time since arriving in Victoria Island, she smirked wholeheartedly. "I remembered that there's something that I have to do, and I won't let another human or a demon stop me from doing it."

"You remind me of Elyna Hunter very much. I'll hold the greatest confidence in you." Grendel offered her a long sheet of parchment. "These are the basics of what you need to know. Study it and we will begin."

It didn't take Lanne long for her to memorize everything on the scroll she was given. Grendel was surprised at first when she came back to him no more than an hour later. Then again, she was raised by Brighton—a bookworm for those types of things. At least the mage hoped that was the one and only case.

"The words will come naturally once you begin." He said as Lanne walked into the center of the Alchemic circle. A ornate dagger was in her hands and she closed her eyes.

"Darkness before the dawn, Sun after the fall. Lord of Shadows, heed my call…"

From a connecting room, Evan watched through a small window with worried eyes. "Will she be alright? Shouldn't someone be in there just in case?"

"I have a sealing team on standby." Yvanne came up next to him. "No need to worry, Master Evan." He looked back at the blue haired hairy and frowned.

"Sealing team?"

She looked mildly surprised. "Yes. Don't you know? Pact magic; especially at her young age, has an extremely low success rate. Mainly due to the lack of outside experience."

Evan grabbed her shoulders. "What does that mean? What the hell does experience have to do with it?"

Yvanne brushed him off easily but answered politely as if he hadn't acted violently towards her. "Pact magic is old and follows the law of equivalent exchange of sorts. Payment is needed and the contractor must know how to appease the demon on the spot. If it fails, the demon and contractor go out of control. We usually kill the contractor if that happens, but Miss Hunter's case is…special."

"Special?"

"I assume you've been told about her condition, am I correct Master Evan?" Yvanne asked. He nodded hesitantly although he wasn't entirely sure what exactly it had to do with pact magic. He had only been told that she had a particular soul that wasn't stable. Wouldn't making the pact help stabilize it? The fairy lowered her eyes in surprising sympathy. "If Miss Hunter dies, her spirit will go out of control and even Master Grendel the Wise won't be able to stop it by himself. So, in order to maintain the safety of everyone she'll have to be sealed away." Evan raised his wand towards her in anger. The blue gem shone with energy but the fairy didn't flinch. In fact, she admired the protective light in his eyes and smiled. "Master Evan, you've only met her not too long ago. What made you change your mind about strangers so quickly?"

The dragon master blinked as if snapping out of his fury and pulled his weapon back. The shame on his face was obvious but the fairy told him not to worry about it. When she repeated the question Evan looked through the opening to see the ritual continue. "I don't want her to make the same mistakes I did when I started out Miss Yvanne. No one should."

The fairy noticed the way he watched the red haired woman and frowned in displeasure. "And there's nothing more to that?" her ice blue eyes dared him to give her the wrong answer. The mage tightened the grip on his staff in response. Eventually, Evan gave her a tight smile and hid the bitter undertone in his voice as well as the guarded look in his usually bright blue green eyes.

"Nothing more."

* * *

><p>Her hand stung from the cut she made with the ceremonial dagger. It made a clean cut that allowed the blood to well up and flow easily. <em>'Calm down,'<em> she told herself and she held her hand out to the center of the circle.

_"Pay the price…"_

The words that haunted her dreams for years echoed once again. Those three simple words would always be accompanied by images of heartbreak, death, and darkness. Lanne smiled bitterly. She was no stranger to those things. She didn't fear heartache because she hardly let anyone in. She didn't fear death because it was inevitable. She didn't fear the dark because it was far more comforting than the light.

And so from her lips, words flowed out easily. "I beseech you, Duke and ruler of Hell. Answer my call and I shall answer yours."

The blood in the circle sparked with red flames, and from the fires a bird materialized. Its feathers of black and white danced above the fires and sharp talons gleamed at her. The stork reared its head. "Girl. You have called upon thee, Duke and Marquis of hell and commander of legions thirty." Its voice was harsh and grated against her ears, and yet a part of her couldn't help but listen eagerly for more. "I seek the answer as to why."

Lanne took a shuddering breath, intimidated by the demon's heavy presence. Is this how Brighton felt? Was he instilled with the instinct to flee from this circle? The redhead gathered her resolve and offered her hand, still dripping with blood. "The contract that binds a human and demon... I wish to form one with you."

It flapped its great bi-colored wings and lowered its head. "A blood pact, you say? How amusing. Tell me, child, why do you seek this power? Why not resign to the demon that beats in your chest? Surely creating the bond with both of us will be a fate far crueler than death."

"I refuse to allow myself to lose to that demon, and in order to do that I require your assistance. You know most of all what that demon is capable of doing!" Lanne dared to raise her voice at the great bird. It screeched to regain its dominance but the redhead took a step forward. "Glasya Labolas must _not_ be allowed to be reborn into this world. I will do everything in my power, even sacrifice this menial life of mine, to do it if it is my fate to do so in the end."

The bird fell silent. Nothing was heard other than the crackle of the flames that surrounded them and the beating of powerful wings. Lanne held her breath as she stared into the onyx eyes of the demon.

"If there is anything in this pathetic world that I value most, they are lies and deception." The demon finally spoke. Its voice was gradually becoming smoother. "The vow you have given cannot be proven, nor can it be offered as payment." Her eyes widened in shock. Grendel readied his staff as well as the sealing team just outside. A light seal of magic hovered over the circle and slowly lowered down. The demon turned its head towards the mage and screeched in anger. Shockwaves of dark mana slammed him and the others against the walls. "Do not interfere!"

"Master Grendel!" Lanne shouted in concern but the demon growled at her now.

"You fool! Do you wish to die before proving your worth to me?"

She froze. She had a chance? He believed her? The bird's anger receded momentarily and it perched itself comfortably on the flames. "I require one last thing from you: proof of conviction. Proof of your ability to sacrifice everything for your wish. Your memories, your emotions, and your bonds."

'_Everything? How can I prove that?'_ she thought as she probed her mind for ideas. The payment can't be too much or too little. Was it possible to even give too much for this?

Memories? No memory of Edelstein can prove sufficient for this.

Emotions? What emotions were stronger than the bitterness, loneliness, and defeat she harbored?

Bonds? Exactly what bonds did she have to offer?

"_You look just like your mother, you know?"_

_"You remind me of Elyna Hunter very much.'_

_"Such a shame it got dirty."_

Lanne took the dagger in one hand and her tied hair in another. With one clean sweep, her hair was cut clean. What was left rested at the base of her neck while the rest laid in her injured hand. Blood soaked the already crimson strands as she offered it up to the waiting demon. "This is enough payment, right?"

The demon stared at the dripping strands of hair and reared its head back. It burst into hot flames in her hands and Lanne tried not the shy away other than releasing it.

"I accept this payment. Now, complete the pact. My name is Shax, human. Give me yours."

"Lanne Hunter."

"Hunter?" Its voice piqued in interest. "I see. By bond we tied, thus power we share." As it spoke the binding words, its body was engulfed in white light and vanished, leaving in its wake a gold pocket watch. She took hold of it with trembling hands and brought it close to her still beating chest.

'_I'm sorry, mother…'_ she thought as she fell to her knees, utterly drained from the stressful encounter. The flames disappeared and she heard the faint pounding of footsteps when she fell to her side.

* * *

><p>A ways away from the magical town of Ellinia, a dark haired man groaned and clawed at his chest. With each breath and heartbeat came an onslaught of pain. Each movement and thought made him break out into a cold sweat. When the moment had passed, he collapsed against the trunk of a large tree and gasped for breath. Behind his eyes and white flashes, he was bombarded with different visions—visions of the past, present, and tiny pieces of the future. A large beastly figure with the body of a lion, the head of a horse, and the wings of a great bird appeared and knelt beside him before nudging his shoulder. The man chuckled weakly and rubbed its long muzzle.<p>

"Heh, didn't think she'd actually do it…"

"_I didn't think Lord Glasya would react like this… Forgive me for not warning you of the side effects of what could have happened during the ritual."_ The beast spoke telepathically while lowering its head. The man smirked and turned his silvery gray eyes to the general direction of Ellinia.

"Don't worry, Valefar. I still have time left and I'll be damned if I let myself die earlier." With a short grunt, the male pushed himself up and dusted his dark pants off. "Looks like recon is over. Time to head back home, eh?" As he held his hand out, the beast's form shone and shifted into that of a sharp black dagger—a cursayer. "Won't be long 'til we finally meet face to face, Red."

* * *

><p>"Mmm…" Lanne's eyes fluttered open and she was greeted with the familiar ceiling of the inn. Her body felt unnaturally light and she barely felt anything out of the ordinary other than the constricted feeling around her right hand. She sat up and noticed that her injured hand was bandaged up and the mark that once appeared on her left hand was gone. "What happened…?" A soft knock on the door alerted her and she pulled the covers up to her chest (seeing as how she was once again in a nightgown).<p>

"I'm coming in… You're up?" Evan perked up when he saw her up as he almost seemed to bounce over eagerly. "Are you okay? Do you feel any different? Any pain at all?"

"No…" She answered slowly and furrowed her brows in confusion. "Were you that worried about me?"

His blue-green eyes flashed with a tiny bit of hurt. "Of course I was! Why wouldn't I be?"

"I…guess you're right. Sorry about that." Lanne lowered her head and apologized. She honestly still wasn't used to being cared about this much other than the few people in Edelstein. "So, how long was I out for?"

"A few hours. Grendel said it would probably take longer for your soul to reconstruct itself, but I'm glad you're okay for now." Evan smiled and she could really see his relief. A small part of her felt warm at the notion of him caring so much but she reluctantly pushed the feeling away. Now was a time for business. And as if listening to her call, Grendel entered the room with one of the sealed books she took from Brighton's room.

"Miss Hunter. I'm relieved to see you well." He smiled and set the book down next to her bedside table. "Forgive me if I am rushing you, children, but I believe it's time for me to tell you what you choice entails you to do." Grendel waved his staff and a projection appeared on the far wall. "Miss Hunter, now that you have created the pact, you are what us magicians call a Battle Mage. You control distortions of dark mana to attack at will. On your journey, Master Evan should be able to teach you the basics of controlling your mana and giving it tangible form…although that wasn't exactly his forte to begin with…" The elder added as a small side-note, causing a light embarrassed flush to appear on the dragon master's cheeks.

"So…you still haven't told me yet, Master Grendel. If pact magic can never be broken, then how can we stop Glasya without me being killed?" Lanne asked, hoping to finally get to the point. She could learn to fight later rather than sooner, a notion that surprised her.

"I was about to get to that, child," he lightly scolded as he gestured to the book. "This book is known as the Ars Goetia. Solomon managed to create five books dedicated to the demons he had studied and everything else he learned in this lifetime. They were known as the Lesser Keys of Solomon. This is only one of them." When he waved his staff, it opened up to a page that showed a picture of a gold cylindrical puzzle and inked scribbles of cursive writing. "This is what you will need to find the other four. It is unknown whether or not finding the other books can help break your curse, but it may just tell you how to rid the world of that demon once and for all."

Evan frowned and crossed his arms. "How the heck are we supposed to find it if we don't know where to start looking?"

"Travel to Kerning and find a man named Drey. He's a close relative to an underground data gatherer that the hero Aran frequents. Surely he can help you find it seeing as how Tru has gone into hiding." Grendel closed the book with magic and made his way to the door. "I will need to speak with you and get you checked by the medical fairies and Dr. Betty soon, Miss Hunter. Until then, get some rest you two. A long journey awaits you two, after all."

* * *

><p>AN: Meeeehhhhh. I'm not too happy with how this ended (Or actually…how the entire chapter went) but I wanted this Ellinia thing done with so I can get on with the juicier parts (Like fighting and romance and plot twists). Oh well. I wanted this done by my b-day (Feb. 25) but I couldn't. Sorry guys! Once again, this hasn't gone through a thorough edit, so please excuse the typos.

Man…I got 4 months left of High School…scary…

**Trivial Trivia:**

Shax is another real demon from the Ars Goetia, alongside Glasya Labolas and Valefar. He'll be explained later, but if you can't wait then feel free to look him up.

Also, Valefar is technically used already in Maplestory but it's spelled Valefer I believe. I'll explain how this happened in another chapter.

As usual, **review** please! It makes me wanna write better than this!


	7. City of Thieves

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Seven: City of Thieves

**WildOrion**: I'm telling myself to stop saying my chapters are bad, cuz now that I think about it, that's being unfair to the part of my brain that continues to dish these chapters out. Thanks for reading my fanfic still! Oh, by the way, I took my placement testing for college today. I gotta thank fanfiction for keeping my writing and reading comprehension skills fresh. Math on the other hand…

**Reiya Rosso**: Aw, you're making me blush! Thanks for giving a stamp of approval for my writing skills! Some of the future scenes I have in mind for this story are hopefully going to be even cooler than the pact scene (At least they look and sound cooler in my head. The tough part is getting them typed correctly)! Now I definitely wanna get to those scenes! Hurray for positive motivation! I really miss playing my battle mage but alas, school demands my attention. Maybe in the summer I'll play again. Who knows? I might randomly whisper you like a stalker if you still play, lol.

Lanne's picture is up! I'm debating whether or not to upload what she looked like before the change but that'll be a lower priority. Hopefully, Shax will work too cuz I finished him up (His pic is coming up later on though). I'm having trouble writing Mir's pronoun. After writing this chapter I notice that I switch between calling Mir "It" and "he"… Opps. I think I'll stick with calling Mir "he" since I love the dragon that gets badass down the line. But there still might be references of me calling him "it" every now and then in this chapter. I'll make sure it's correct in later chapters.

Transition chapter—START!

* * *

><p>She twirled the golden pocket watch in front of her and furrowed her brows in slight frustration. "So…this is I get for slicing my hand and hair?" Evan raised a skeptic brow and threw an orange at her before taking a bite of his apple. "Hey!"<p>

"You just risked your life yesterday and all you're concerned about is a haircut?" He asked and rolled his eyes with his usual grin. "Girls…"

Lanne frowned and began peeling the fruit that was aimed at her head. "I'm trying to stay positive, which is quite hard when I'm used to doing the opposite you know." She pocketed the watch and popped a slice of the orange in her mouth, savoring the sweet and sour juice. "I can't even get Shax into weapon form…" Unfortunately, making the pact was much more complicated than Lanne expected. When demons made pacts with Battle Mages they would transform into an object depending on how the soul of the contractor reacts with the contracted. That object is then used as a conductor and can transform into a weapon based on a combination of the spiritual and mental resonance between the two. [1] But so far, the gold watch did nothing but sit idly in her hands.

She had to admit though. She definitely felt certain changes in her body. The wound on her hand was healing slightly faster than normal. Lanne even noticed that her eyesight got a lot better in the dark. Shax's voice spoke to her in her head every now and then giving her advice, and she was satisfied with the new occupant more than the old one (who strangely enough hadn't said a thing since).

"Well, that's what training is for, right?" Evan clapped his hands and threw the apple core at Mir, who ate it in one bite before continuing his nap in the sun. The mage shifted so that he sat cross-legged on the grass with his wand on his lap. Lanne finished her snack and did the same, except the golden pocket watch was held securely in her folded hands.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Evan smiled encouragingly at her determination. "Now, let's go over what we've learned. Close your eyes and center yourself." The darkness blanketed her vision and she let out a comfortable breath. "Try to form a bubble in your consciousness. This is going to act as a temporary container for your mana reservoir. Later you'll be able to draw upon it unconsciously, but for now you just need to know how and where to find your power well."

Lanne had no time to comment on the fact that his way of speaking was so serious and uncharacteristic of him now. Instead, she pressed her lips together in a thin line. She looked into herself and dove into the dark confines of her soul that still had hints of recovering. Lanne noticed a few things since training with Evan—like how everyone's soul has a different color and characteristic. Evan's was green and almost resembled a dragon, unsurprisingly enough. When she told him that he simply laughed and told her to find out her own shape before looking at others. He had a point though. Throughout the entire training session, she had been able to sense other people's souls except hers. It was there, but she couldn't focus in on it. This time, she was determined to do so.

As she delved deeper into her heart of hearts, she saw one soul shape that felt far different than hers. It was half black and half white. When she saw bi-colored feathers floating inside the translucent egg-like sphere, she immediately knew that it was Shax.

"_You're going at this too hard," _A voice echoed from the egg, which she recognized belonged to the demon stork. _"Instead of trying to _find_ it by yourself, make it appear. It _is_ your soul after all."_

"I _am_ trying…" she mumbled and tightened her hold on the golden pocket watch in concentration. Sweat began to form on her brow as she felt pressure build up and spread from her head down to her toes. Lanne exhaled and willed the pressure to collect in her hands.

"Whoa, Lanne! Look!"

Evan's voice made her return to the real world. She immediately noticed a glow in her clasped hands. When she opened them, the watch was emitting a soft purple light.

"_Congratulations,"_ Shax praised in her head and she allowed herself a crack of a smile. The light died down and she dropped the watch in exhaustion. Evan reached to grab her shoulder so that she wouldn't fall, but she shook her head.

"I'm fine… Thank you, Evan." Lanne offered him a tiny smile, at which he slightly blushed at and scratched the back of his head while looking away.

"Uh, no problem. So, you ready to go to Kerning City or do you want to train a little more?"

Lanne shook her head. "We've wasted enough time here. The sooner we get the cryptex or whatever, the sooner we get the books."

He furrowed his brows in seriousness once more. "It won't be as easy to tap into your soul outside Ellinia Forest. You probably felt it, but the entire air around Ellinia is filled with energy. There's no guarantee you'll be able to tap into your mana at a moments notice." Lanne wondered in the back of her mind if something was putting him on edge recently but didn't have the reasons to ask. So instead, she reached into her boot and pulled out a small dagger she kept on her, courtesy of Claudine's habits rubbing off on her. A small part of her felt a painful twinge of loneliness, but she pushed the emotion far away once more. Evan shrugged in defeat and pulled out a scroll. "Whatever you say. Do you know how to use these?" When she shook her head, a mischievous smile touched his lips. "All you gotta do is…"

Five minutes later, the Dragon Master was cowering and holding his hands in front of him in a protective manner while Lanne walked towards him with a dangerous glint in her green eyes.

"Evan, I'm going to murder you…" the redhead hissed as she glowered at him, evoking a high pitched 'eep' from the mage.

"Haha, n-now now, Lanne… Calm down!" Evan backed up into one of the brick walls of Kerning nervously. "I-It happens to everyone!"

A black banana peel slid off from her head, causing her to twitch. Evan had told her to jump in the portal because she could get caught in a rift if she entered too slowly. So, as a person trying to trust, she did as told. Unfortunately, the momentum propelled her forward…into a hill of garbage…

Evan noticed the chain connecting her pocket watch to her belt was glowing and he swallowed hard. "Uh, h-hey… It's not like anyone was around to see it, right? Just me, y'know?" Her fingers twitched and he could see them reaching for the watch in her pouch. "Mir!"

The dragon leaped forward and roared in her face, expecting her to fall back in fear and shock like all others before her. However she simply held her ground and stared down the large onyx dragon with a stern look. Lanne raised a finger to its snout. "Down." The dragon snarled but her green eyes narrowed dangerously at the creature. "_Now._" At last, the creature backed away and whined in defeat. No one had stood up to him in the past, but the red head effortlessly wounded his pride and ego. As for the Battle Mage, she had years of caring for large felines in _packs_. One young dragon was nothing for her. When she turned back to Evan, the mage was already a few feet away with a trail of dust behind him. Lanne crossed her arms and raised a brow questioningly at the dragon that was left behind by his master. "Want to do the honors?" Normally the dragon would avoid helping the suspicious human if he could help it but considering his masters last action… Lanne gestured him to go first, which he did gladly. The rest of the walk into the city of Kerning was filled with Evan's terrified (Albiet exaggerated) screams from Mir's practice with his dragon's breath.

* * *

><p>"Get your steelies here! Place your offers!"<p>

"Scrolls for claws! Get them while they're hot!"

"Hey! You said these were only a million, jackass!"

Lanne frowned, obviously uncomfortable with the city of thieves already. Sure, she was pleased with the twilight sky above them and the lack of overly bright colors found in Henesy, but the overall atmosphere put her on edge. Her usual distraction (A.k.a. Mir) wasn't around for her to watch since the dragon would likely cause a commotion. Evan noticed her tense posture and took hold of her wrist, causing her to momentarily stare at him in confusion. He grinned in response and lifted their connected limbs up slightly. "Just so we don't get lost." She nodded slowly, somewhat grateful for this new distraction and allowed him to guide her through the busy crowds of merchants and wanderers. Numerous whistles and calls were made out as soon as Evan grabbed her wrist such as "Get a room!" and "Let me in on that!" Lanne noticed the immediate reddening of her companion's cheeks as the voices continued. His grip on her wrist tightened over time as well.

"Evan? Are you okay?"

He cursed under his breath but she sensed it was more out of embarrassment than anger. "Yeah… I forgot how this city gets when they see this kind of thing."

"'This kind of thing'?" she repeated and tilted her head. Evan stopped to turn to her and allowed his jaw to fall ever so slightly at the reply. Lanne furrowed her brows in growing frustration. When she asks something, he shouldn't gape. There was no reason to wound her ego every time she asked a simple question… "What?"

"Lanne, you don't know what this looks like?" he lifted their joined limbs again and she huffed.

"You're just making sure we don't get separated. What I don't get is why you and the city think it's such a big deal…"

Evan took a deep breath in and stared at her with serious eyes once more. "Lanne…you…" She raised a brow. "You…never had a boyfriend, huh?"

_Smack_

"Ouch! It was an honest question!" He held his swollen cheek as he watched her almost stomp away in anger. When she didn't stop he paled, remembering grimly that she knew nothing about wandering this dark city of thieves alone. As he got ready to sprint in her direction, the crowds of sellers and would-be buyers suddenly doubled. "Damn! Lanne, you better be safe til I find you."

* * *

><p>"Of all the things to say… How dare he?" Lanne grumbled as she continued to walk absently around the city to cool her head. Her anger caused her to forgo the fact that she was alone in an unfamiliar place, but soon the high disappeared and she began to regret her loss of control. The streets and roads melded together, making it hard for her to distinguish and backtrack her steps.<p>

"Hey, who's this cutie?" asked a deep voice. She quickly turned to see a party of thieves and warriors. The one that just spoke was tall and muscled; wielding a large sword that looked like it had just recently been used. "Haven't seen you around here." Lanne's eyes narrowed in a guarded manner. She was used to dealing with situations like this, although they were more hostile than what he was aiming for…

"I'm running an errand, so…" she used an old tactic to get away and usually an ineffective one, but it bought time to analyze her environment. The alley was far narrower than the ones in her hometown. Added to that, the party spread out to block her escape. Lanne cursed, once again hating the fact that she allowed her emotions to take over her reasoning. Two female thieves poked their heads through the rest of the men and pursed their lips.

"Looks like she doesn't know that this is _our_ turf."

"Should we teach her a lesson then?"

The Battle Mage's body froze as memories resurfaced from her childhood—memories she fought to forget and did. So why now of all times…? In the back of her mind, she heard a familiar chuckle that belonged to the other entity that occupied her soul alongside Shax.

"_Her parents died during the war? Are you sure they weren't just executed for being spies?"_

"_Don't get close to her, children… She's a bad influence and the less of her is better for us."_

"_You don't belong here, girlie. Pack up and go home! …Oh wait, what home? Hahahaha!"_

Lanne took a step back, her green eyes wide with fear. Not from her situation, but from the memories she tried so hard to lock away. She heard Shax shouting something inaudible in her head and soon after, her chest ached in pain. Lanne's hand clawed the cloth on her vest as if it could sooth the pain and stepped back, tripping on an old pipe in the process.

"Aw look, she's scared… Is the poor baby gonna cry?"

"Hey…she looks kinda hot. Boss, do ya think…?"

"Why not? Hold her down boys!"

"Urgh, you men make me sick," one of the females sneered but laughter was in her throat. Lanne snapped out of it and ran the other direction. She had to get out of there. Surely there had to be some way out—

"Shit…" she was met with a brick wall and no way out. There weren't any pipes to climb and the walls here were too far apart to use to climb to the roof. Lanne turned and the party following her was coming into view.

"Ah man…"

The mage looked up and saw a dark figure staring down at her from the rooftop. He stared at her with dark eyes that were shaded from his messy black hair and Dark Identity bandana. His clothing was jet black and already she could bet a million mesos that he was a thief. If the shining dagger in his hand wasn't proof enough, it could have been the way he carried himself—disconnected and calculating. Problem was…would he help her?

"There she is!" Lanne turned again and already she was pinned harshly against the brick wall. Her head hit the rough surface and she cried out slightly when a hand held her throat. She glared at the man holding her captive with defiant green eyes but was replied with a sick laugh. "You have fire in your eyes. I like that! You better be worth the trouble of chasing you!" His other hand trailed down her hip in a way that he must have thought pleasurable, but it only brought on a fit of rage. Her pocket watch glowed slightly in her pocket.

"Oi, Bennet, right?"

The mercenary pinning her turned irritably, "Who's asking?" but froze when he saw his entire party was unconscious on the floor. "What?" Lanne saw the thief there; silver eyes narrowed and glinted dangerously, just like the dark dagger in his hands. "G-Got a name, punk?"

The noir-haired stranger smirked smugly and put a hand on his hip. "Yeah. Just not one you need to remember," The thief let two steelies fly towards Lanne's attacker. One of them hit his shoulder dead on while his large sword parried the other. 'Bennet' as Lanne deducted, growled and released her before running off in raging defeat. She heard him say faint words like "I'll be back, bastard!" but the rest were drowned out echoing. The redhead regarded her savior cautiously and made a slow gesture towards her watch in her pocket, but he sheathed his blade behind his back and sighed exasperatedly. "Saving a girl who's being taken advantage of by a man…" The thief stretched and fixed the Dark Identity on his head. "That must have been the most stereotypical event in my life."

Lanne fought to control her urge to smack him—once more shocked at her lack of control of her emotions. Every since beginning this journey, her life was topsy-turvy and she couldn't see an end in sight. Stubbornly, she looked him in the eyes with what she hoped was a determined gaze. "I could have handled it myself."

He raised his brow and crossed his arms challengingly. "Oh? With what? The dagger in your boot?" Her eyes widened in shock and in a silent question. "Please. What do you take me for—a mage? I know the tricks of the trade, missy." The thief took a step forward and she felt like she was getting backed into the wall again. "Now what I wanna know is why you're in a dump like Kerning City. You don't look like any traveler I've seen—not branding a weapon or the ilk." Lanne's eyes narrowed and her lips thinned. The stranger backed off and huffed. Obviously he wouldn't be getting any answers from her without a fight. "Tch… Fine. Well, c'ya around!" The thief turned towards the exit of the alley.

Lanne hesitated before calling out. "What's your name?" The thief didn't turn and instead raised his hand in a dismissive wave before disappearing behind the corner. Not a minute later, Evan appeared in a panting mess. The Battle Mage raised a brow and crossed her arms. "What?" The dragon master glared tiredly at her and opened his mouth to say something, but instead he collapsed against the brick wall. "Evan?"

"Lanne… I'm keeping you on a leash from now on."

Smack

"Ouch! Will you stop doing that?"

* * *

><p>The Dark Lord massaged his temple and groaned. More and more of his reconnaissance teams were disappearing by the day. The ones that did return came back with nothing short of near fatal wounds and no information to show for them. The burning embarrassment of having nothing to report at the Master's Meetings was nothing compared to the anger towards those that dared to harm his subordinates. Subordinates that he hand picked and raised since they were mere children.<p>

"My lord?" one of his followers materialized in front of him and bowed on one knee. "I bring news of travelers outside our normal roster. One is the Dragon Master Evan Rockwell."

"And the others?"

"Sir…I'm afraid we're not entirely sure who she is or where she hails from." The thief lowered his head in shame. "However, she's relatively easy to pick out. Her hair is red."

The Dark Lord scoffed. "I'm sure at least a third of the populace on Victoria Island has red hair."

"No, I mean _red_. Crimson red."

The thief job master's brows rose in skepticism, but he asked no other questions. "Find out what they want. The Black Wings have members that are well skilled in the art of deception. See to it that the boy is who he says he is. And as for the girl, I want to know her name, job, where they're staying, and every little detail in between. Do you understand?" The thief nodded and disappeared, leaving the job master to his racing thoughts. Red hair—it was a hint Grendel had told him after the last meeting.

Red. The color of fate. If she was who he thought she was, would she lead them to a happy ending? Or were those crimson locks a foreboding premonition of what was to come?

* * *

><p><strong>[1]<strong> Yes, I realize that the science I use behind explaining how Battle Mages work is similar to how weapons and meisters work in Soul Eater. But I couldn't help it.

Sorry that this is a couple hundred words shorter chapter than usual. But hey, it's only that much, right? No biggie. This chapter mainly served to switch setting and introduce a few changes happening to Lanne after making the pact with Shax. So far, it seems a little harmless—a mood swing here and there…but who knows those mood swings will entail?

**Trivial Trivia:**

As much as I wish I could take credit, the line "Saving a girl…stereotypical event in my life." is actually from _Ano Hana_. Yukiatsu made me wanna give him a pat on the back for that line! I really recommend watching that anime!

**Deleted/Alternate Scene:**

"There she is!" Lanne turned again and already she was pinned harshly against the brick wall. Her head hit the rough surface and she cried out slightly when a hand held her throat. The man leaned in closer with a sick smile and with the full intent to quiet her mouth that would likely scream. However, his face suddenly scrunched up in disgust and he released his tight grip on her. "Damn! Ever learn about a bath, girl?"

Her eye twitched violently and she reached for her pocketwatch.

...

_We are sorry for this inconvenience_

_The rest is rated N-17 for graphic violence and crude language_

_ Please present proof of I.D. at the counter for further viewing privileges_

_Inability to consent will result in expulsion from the page_

Somewhere in an alley nearby, Evan sneezed.

**I have no idea what came over me while writing that deleted scene... **

**As usual, please review!**_  
><em>


	8. Far From the Truth

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Eight: Far from the truth

This chapter is longer in hopes that reviews will come back in. Also, I started playing maple again… I wanna join a fun guild where I can joke around and say random stuff without feeling like a noob when a lvl 128 BaM doesn't know how to Zak (The pre-quests look too hard!) –sad face- The guild I'm in now is…very quiet…and not very fun… I'm testing the waters for a little while and if it doesn't get better I might quit.

And yes, this chapter took a while…sorry. I had exams. BUT NOW THEY'RE OVER! I'm gonna graduate in a month. From then on is COLLEGE LIFE!

…and a world of student loans/debt…-lesigh-

* * *

><p>"<em>Alecia! Alecia, where are you?" a worried mother called from the front door of their home. Behind a nearby bush, a young brunette girl giggled beside an equally happy Lanne. <em>

"_Hey, Lanne," Nine year-old Alecia began. She wiped her cookie crumb covered hands on her plaid dress after her mother had gone back inside with a worried look in her eyes. "Want to go watch the sunset?"_

_The seven year-old redhead blinked in mild surprise. "We always see it. Why ask now?"_

_Alecia sent her a grin full of mischief. "Not on the roof this time. On the cliffs outside town!" Young Lanne paled at the thought of going outside the safety of Edelstein. Brighton and the others always told her to stay within the city limits and that it was far too dangerous without adult supervision. The brunette noticed the conflict on her friend's face and touched her hand for support. "Don't worry. We won't stray off too far. Besides, I can continue telling you that story!"_

_Lanne agreed with a meek 'okay' as they snuck away past the gates of the town and to the nearby cliffs that most of the older children went to. Alecia was wise to pinpoint the redhead's weakness for stories. Before they got so busy Belle and Checky used to tell her tales of failed kitchen creations and high points in their rivalry. They weren't the fairytale stories like most other girls her age were told. Then again most other children her age had mothers and fathers to tell them of happier times. _

_Alecia's father was a librarian in town. Unfortunately, there was a shortage in miners so he volunteered to mine for rue—the lifeblood of the town. A huge mining accident happened, resulting in his death. It didn't take long for the girls to realize their similar thirst for attention outside their protective circles of guardians. Lanne taught her the spots where almost no one could find them while Alecia supplied stories handed down from her father to pass the time._

_The two girls settled down on the rocky precipice and took in the setting sun with their small legs dangling over the edge. The brunette placed a small finger on her lips in recall. "Now where were we… Ah! I know! Have you ever heard of the story of Adam?"_

"_Adam…Adam…" Lanne furrowed her brows in concentration. "Oh! Adam and Eve? I know that one!" _

_Alecia shook her head. "No, it's the story before Eve. Wanna know?" Lanne nodded her head eagerly. The brunette took a deep starting breath and began the tale. "This happened shortly after 'once upon a time'. In the beginning, God created Adam—the first human. But even though he was God's creation Adam had feelings of his own. Adam learned loneliness when there was no one there to speak with or touch when God was gone from the Garden of Eden. So, he pleaded to God for a companion. God agreed to his wish and molded another from the same clay Adam was made from."_

"_I thought Eve was made from Adam's rib?" Lanne questioned. Alecia once again shook her head. _

"_Let me get to that. God first made Adam a female known as Lilith. Eve came much later. Now since Lilith was made from the same material as Adam they clashed in opinion. Adam was used to being in control and Lilith was proud and stubborn. She fled the Garden, Adam, and God behind when she couldn't stand being hurt by or hurting Adam any more. God sent three angels that captured her and demanded her return."_

_Lanne was almost trembling in suspense. "What happened? Did she return? Did she escape?"_

_Alecia smiled wistfully. "Neither. In fact, she shouted nonsense at the angels—saying she'll harm women and children and coax married men to be with her if the angels didn't let her go. So, they made a deal and she was allowed to go."_

"_Really? Where did she go?"_

"_No one really knows. Some books say she hid in caves or wandered the world. In any case, the story of Adam and Eve begins from there. Lilith appears every now and then in history but it's always bad. No one remembers this original story. Well, no one but me and…dad." She trailed off slowly but then grinned sheepishly. "It's getting dark, isn't it?"_

_The redhead nodded and pulled her legs in from the ledge. Just as Alecia stood up, Lanne paused to ask the question she couldn't find an answer for. "How do you do it?"_

"_Hm?"_

"_That. Like it doesn't hurt you at all?"_

_Alecia took Lanne's hand in hers and held it in a firm yet comforting grip while helping her up. "Best way to shirk it off is to pretend it doesn't hurt."_

* * *

><p>"So, what do we know so far?" Evan asked while munching on a bar of chocolate. The two travelers were now resting on some old construction pipes after two hours of sweeping the city for clues. So far, nothing came up but their growling stomachs. The orange sky was filling with purples and blues. Soon, night would fall over Kerning and the two of them would have to raise their guard even more.<p>

A stickler for health, Lanne shook her head disapprovingly at his snack choice and sipped her pineapple juice. "We need to get information, and apparently Drey is our best bet. According to Master Grendel, his only known relative is Tru from Lith Harbor."

The dragon master tapped his chin. "Tru rings a bell at least. Guess information gathering runs in the family then. So, this guy is supposed to tell us more about the cryptex, right? What could he know that Master Grendel didn't?" According to the book Brighton left her the cryptex, which was a gold cylindrical device that held clues as to where the other books were located. Unfortunately there must be a ton of objects that fit that description on Victoria Island alone. She paled at the thought of the books being scattered on more than one continent.

Lanne shrugged and tossed her now empty can into a graffiti painted recycling bin. "If he's the same as the information gatherers in the Resistance, then he'll know a lot more than just the legend. Chances are he might have a map to the other books or better." She stretched her arms over her head and let out a satisfied groan. "After getting a closer look, Kerning isn't that bad if you can get past the mess." Evan had a feeling Lanne meant more than the garbage on the streets. He got up and checked his map next to her. Her eyes unconsciously flitted to the alley she met the thief that saved her.

_"I know the tricks of the trade, missy."_

Maybe he knew some information? If he knew some of the mercenaries, then surely he knew about something as trivial as one man...

"Well, I doubt he would be on this side of town then. This is where the town watch is stationed. Over here is Dark Lord territory." Evan pointed to a large red circle that overtook the majority of Kerning City's center, which made the blue circle belonging to the town watch look pitiful. Although, she had to sadly admit that it was larger than any force Edelstein was able to _legally_ form. The Black Wings were always strict on any group that even had the possibility of rebelling. Luckily, the Resistance had been established long ago before she was even born. Lanne never got an answer as to what exactly they fought against.

Was it back when the Black Mage terrorized the land hundreds of years ago? Or was it after he was sealed away? Were they really fighting against Glasya? Who founded it? Were her parents in it? Were they really traitors like everyone said they were? Lanne hoped that the dark look in her eyes went past Evan's scrutiny. Instead now, she crossed her arms in skepticism. Getting back on topic… She knew her fair share of odd names like Checky and Gaga but this was pushing it a little.

"Dark Lord? Sounds a little…suspicious."

"Careful no one hears you," Evan warned with a light laugh tied to it. "The Dark Lord is a job master just like Grendel the Wise. In fact, he's in charge of reconnaissance when dealing with matters that involve war, or in their case, the return of the Black Mage." His voice gradually lowered in seriousness and his blue-green eyes hardened. The boy was gone and in his place was a cautious magician that she doubted had any hesitation to take out anyone that wronged him. This Evan felt foreign to her and, in other words, dangerous. It was times like these that Lanne wondered what exactly Evan had seen. He'd tell her short stories of when he was a boy at the farm and the mischief he got in with Utah. He'd tell her tales of underwater cities and hot volcanic tunnels that he's been dying to visit. They were all the positive aspects of the world. But…

More and more each day, she wanted to ask about his hardships and downfalls. There was a strange pull on her curiosity. It wasn't like they shared any familial bonds. In fact, Evan never told her a reason for staying other than being bored and some other answer that she couldn't remember. Did that merit her asking? Was that really a relationship…? Lanne's chest ached and she wondered if it had something to do with what she ate, but all she remembered swallowing today was the juice.

"…haven't tried the café yet. Should we go there?" Lanne blinked after realizing that he was still talking.

"I'm sorry, what?"

The dragon master resembled a kicked puppy. "You zoned out on me? You're so mean, Lanne!"

"Uh, sorry… You said something about a café?" she frowned uncomfortably, not knowing how to deal with the situation any other way. Secretly she was pleased that the distant Evan never stayed around too long. His cheerfulness brought a lightness to her step and made her want to act like a small child (Not that she would openly admit or show). Only years of keeping a distance kept her vulnerable emotions at bay—kept her safe. No one would get hurt this time. Not Evan, not Mir, and definitely not her.

The dragon master sniffed dramatically and even wiped his eyes for added effect. "There's an internet café a few blocks away. Not a lot of people know about it, but I heard from a few thief friends that it's a great place to get info." Lanne nodded thoughtfully whilst ignoring the part where he mentioned platonic relationships with thieves. A gathering place for a relatively controlled group of people… In other words it's a spy's playground. Surely someone has to know about an important person as Drey. The hard part would be to smoke him out and to prove they meant no harm…if he cooperated. Shax chuckled in approval.

Evan took the lead, and she follow obediently while memorizing the routes for future reference. While distracted, the demon she made a pact with not too long ago piped in. He did so occasionally for a quip here and comment there. His voice was light and almost jovial at rare times, while holding a formal and proper air. That must have sounded like the biggest oxymoron now that she thought about it. The accent was unfamiliar to her so she couldn't properly tag a place of origin to it. _'Must have been just for the occasion'_ she mused dryly. Gone was the foreboding and archaic speech she heard while making the pact.

"_Is that really how you humans protect yourselves?"_ Shax asked her telepathically. When Lanne ignored him he made a clicking sound with his tongue. _"You'll have to talk to me if you want to get the most out of out partnership, girl."_

'_My name is Lanne, unless you've forgotten.'_ She finally relayed to him. _'And it's not just to protect me. The less Evan knows the better.'_ The bird had the nerve to laugh.

_"Your mind may say that, but I can tell a lie when I smell one. You reek of one. You you're probably not aware of it though."_

Lanne grunted quietly aloud in disdain when a thought finally came to her. _'Shax… If you're a stork then why do you act so…'_

_"Human?"_ he answered for her. The redhead could imagine the demon smiling through his beak. _"After hundreds of years worth of pacts, you carbon life forms tend to make an impression. And I'm a demon. The form you saw me in is just one of many others I'm able to take. Like now. My physical form is the watch while my soul is in tandem with yours. Other demons can take on forms such as a mirror or mask. You've heard about the folk tales and storybook monsters. Now you know the truth behind what they're based on. I can even look like a human if I wanted to…maybe."_

The redhead rolled her eyes while continuing her brisk pace behind the brunette mage leading her. _'That maybe doesn't sound very sure.'_

He clicked his tongue again. She could imagine him now in her soul crossing his bi-colored wings or whatever over his chest in contempt._ "We're not nearly on the same wavelength. My skills are based on our ability to coexist. In fact, it's taking a lot of energy just keeping back the other portion of your soul that wants control. Just getting into weapon form won't be easy for us for quite a while."_

Lanne heard an extra pair of footsteps behind them and fought the urge to turn around. Someone had been following them for the past couple blocks. For her not to notice until now, they were either very good, or Shax was more of a distraction than she thought. She bit her bottom lip in aggravated thought. Maybe making the pact did more harm than good. The thought definitely came up more than once. Shax made no comment. Perhaps he was used to it. Still, he could have been a bit more careful or at least thoughtful enough to give her a heads up about the person on their tails. Despite wanting to stay on high alert now she couldn't help but add one last sarcastic remark to the demon. _'I'd be happy to be friends with you if we manage to even last a while.'_

His haughty laughter was really getting on her nerves.

* * *

><p>Lanne expected a lot more when the two of them walked through the frosted glass door. The room was evenly lit with jazzy shades of oranges and reds. A bar was lined up with hands typing furiously away at laptops. At other tables, users were lazily hitting the keyboard while sipping colored drinks with black bubbles. A machine in the back vibrated with music and laughter. One person was even standing on top of it and stepping in strange patterns. Evan and Lanne's arrival incited a few whispering glances and bumping elbows, but everything else seemed normal.<p>

After settling down at an empty table Evan decided to order some drinks to get comfortable. Lanne heard someone behind them whisper quietly to them when the mage left. "You two aren't from around 'ere, are ya?"

"What gave us away?" she countered evenly and turned her head ever so slightly so that it wasn't totally obvious that they were conversing. Lanne could hear a quiet hum of approval from him before she continued. "I heard we could get information here. How much can I depend on that?" She noticed him cough and shift uncomfortably. His partner on the other side of the table looked to the left and right and then nodded to his friend. The one that first spoke to her sighed.

"I'll only say this once. Truth be told, I saw what happened to ya in the alley earlier," he began. Lanne tensed and felt her hair stand on end at the memory. Not in fear. Anger. The man realized this and stammered, "Don't get me wrong! I wanted to help! But when ya grow up in a town like this… Ya learn how to stick your foot in a coffin from age four. With the way things are now, the kids are countin' that curse a blessing. Security's on the rise, but the crime keeps increasing, y'know? I've heard that the town watch had to hire some freelancers since they're short on hands. You can see that not all of them are the fine suits from Ereve. They fight for mesos and a little pocket money is worth a body or two." He spoke quietly, as if anyone mentioned in the conversation could grab him at any time. His partner was equally distressed and fidgety. "Since the Dark Lord tends to disappear from his territory more often, gangs are gettin' ready to claim it. I don't know much else other than that. Sorry."

Lanne nodded appreciatively. "Thanks. One last thing. I need to find a man named Drey."

"Drey? Haha, I haven't heard anyone ask for him in a long while." He chuckled and took a long swig from his soda. "I'd check by the dance machine over there in the back. Best to do it when the group over there is done though. Anyone that goes near there while they're playin' either gets beat, embarrassed, or both unless you can beat 'em at their own game." When Evan returned, the two she conversed with cut off all relation and resumed their swift typing.

Lanne raised a brow in amusement before thanking her companion for the…interesting drink. A part of her wanted to storm over to the back section, but at the word 'dance' she was a goner. As coordinated as she was running from danger and climbing, dancing was something she was always bad at. Not to mention it always confounded her. There was no real use for it other than entertainment. Nothing about dancing is survival oriented, thus considered useless to her. She turned to Evan and spoke in a low whisper. "There in the back is probably our best bet."

"I'm gone for five minutes and already you've done more work than I have today! Give me some leeway! I gotta earn my bread!" he pouted as Lanne mused at the fact the most of the purchases they've made were with his money. "How do you know anyway?"

"You'll find that I'm pretty resourceful," she replied with a hint of what he dared to call cockiness in her steady emerald gaze. It quickly vanished when she sipped her drink tentatively though. "But the people there aren't well-known for their cooperation…"

Evan turned to study them with a skeptic eye. "What? It's like…five people playing Dance Dance Rebellion. One glare from you will scare—"When an annoyed twitch of the eye alerted him of the beating that would quickly ensue he paused to rethink his words. "We can probably persuade them to move…?"

"No. I'd rather not risk it here. We might lose our informant. We have to beat them or something…" Lanne tried to recall the exact words. "I guess we have to beat them at…what was it—Dance Dance Revolution?"

"No, Dance Dance _Rebellion_," he corrected and laughed at her glare and scowl to the side. His eyes softened even more and he rested his chin on the palm of his hand. "Might as well wait for them to finish. Personally I have no problem with you doing it, but something tells me you're not up to it right now. So, tell me more about yourself!"

"There's really nothing interesting about me, Evan…" She replied and sipped her mango drink again. After a few seconds, she added hesitantly, "I don't know a lot about you though…"

The dragon mage raised a brow. "I have my Ma and Pa on our farm. Then there's my crazy brother Utah. What else is there to know?"

"Oh I don't know. It a lot better than talking about me," Lanne grumbled into her straw. Her childhood wasn't bright and sugarcoated unlike his. "Tell me another story. Like…what else did you do when you started adventuring?"

"Well, I'll say that Mir was a lot easier to carry around before than now," he joked and then gave it a moment of thought. "…I did a few jobs here and there between towns to get used to traveling. Before, I would only go into Henesy to help my Pa sell goods from the farm. You can imagine the shock when I went to Orbis!"

"Orbis? That's the land in the sky, right?" Lanne asked. Evan noticed her voice raise slightly in pitch because of her concealed excitement. He surmised that she didn't travel much before either.

"Yeah. It's huge and the people are really friendly. The downside is that the only ways there aren't exactly what you call pleasant. You either take a boat or be lucky enough to afford a teleport rock." He continued to spin tales of his adventures. It felt like the first few days by the campfire when he would tell her old folktales and some of his misadventures to get her to open up. Only now, he included the homesickness he felt and letters he would leave unsent to him home. Here, Lanne frowned deeply.

"Why not? I'm sure that if you leave it unsigned then no one will know it's from you." She recalled his deep fear of endangering his family because of his role as Dragon Master. Evan looked down into her hands with a mixed expression.

"I didn't want to risk it I guess. Or maybe I don't have the guts to do it? I don't know."

Lanne sighed and lightly flicked his forehead from across the table. He flinched and made a small noise of discontent. The redhead then wagged her finger in front of him. "If you can't face it now, face it later. Don't just run away from it."

"'Run away'?" he repeated almost indignantly. Lanne's eyes narrowed but she said nothing in return. Evan peered into her green orbs carefully. She was still an enigma to him. She answered questions to the point and didn't deviate. A part of him was unnerved at the fact that he was pouring everything out without learning a thing about her. "Your turn. Tell me about yourself."

She crossed her arms in mild disappointment when he didn't comment further on her bold statement. "I told you that I'm not that interesting, Evan."

"Well, we have a couple hours before those guys tire out. They're not gonna get kicked out either. This place runs 24/7 so you better get comfortable," he sent her a smug grin with which she returned with a defiant stare. Evan moped. "Fine. I'll ask more questions and you answer. And don't freak! They're _simple_ questions."

"Fine…"

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No."

"How about cousins?"

"No."

"Aunts? Uncles?" when she shrugged, he sighed exasperatedly. What the heck did her family do? Practice abstinence (More like overdid it)? Evan crossed his arms. "Do you have any pets?" Already he could see her lips form the 'no' answer, but she hesitated long enough for Evan to sit up straighter in eagerness.

"Well," Lanne seemed to struggle with an acceptable answer. "I…helped raise some of the jaguars for the Wild Hunters back in Edelstein."

"Really? You?" he tried not to laugh. The dragon master tried to imagine the redhead surrounded by the large jaguars he's seen in Victoria Island. "You look a little…small to be raising jaguars."

Lanne smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "You look a little scrawny yourself to be raising a dragon." The two of them stared each other down until both of them turned away with one chuckling and the other laughing aloud. Lanne drank the last of her tea and folded her hands. "So…anything else you want to ask?"

The dragon master was pleasantly surprised at her compliance. "Sure. We can go back and forth since I'm sure you can't handle listening to my great voice all day." Another laugh. "What's your favorite food?"

"Omelet fried rice. What's your favorite place?"

"Hmm… I like everywhere but El Nath… But if I needed some solo time it would probably be a big hill or something. How about you?"

"…Cliffs. You can see everywhere from there. It really helps clear my head."

The exchange went on well into the night. Lanne was surprised that he enjoyed peace and quiet every now and then. Evan was shocked that she never learned how to swim. Lanne liked studying herbs and medicines. Evan liked tending to animals, likely due to his farm boy conditioning. Lanne loved sunsets. Evan loved sunrise.

"I'm telling you, there's a difference!" he repeated and she rolled her eyes.

"Hardly other than one is at a _reasonable_ time."

The dragon master's eyes twinkled in joy. It was hard to ignore the warm feeling spreading through Lanne's chest as well. She could hear Shax let out a suggestive hum in the back of her mind.

"_There's the human behavior I'm so familiar with,"_ Shax spoke with confidence. _"So you _are_ interested in other things…"_ Lanne scoffed.

'_Seriously. Where's the big bad demon I saw not too long ago?'_

The demon harrumphed and grumbled quietly. _"As hard as it is to believe, we demons have emotions too. We're not all about destroying the world and eating all of mankind either. Some demons, like me, try to find something to distract ourselves from the years we take on. Humans have the luck of a short lifespan. Even the eldest of elves are considered young to us."_

'_Sure. Remind me to ask to first elf I see how old they are so I can compare.'_ She rolled her eyes, which was unfortunately noticed by the magician.

"Something wrong?"

Lanne hesitated but then relented. While they were on a roll she might as well tell him. "It's just Shax. He's bored."

Evan raised his brow and grinned. Occasionally on the way to Kerning and during training, she would mumble something quietly when she thought he was out of earshot. At first he thought she was talking to herself, but soon he deducted that she was sharing conversations with her demon the same way he shared his bond with Mir. "Bored?" a pause. Evan heard laughter coming closer to them. "Well, tell him he's about to have a little more fun now. The guys by the machine are finally leaving." Lanne turned and saw them stumbling towards the door, leaving behind a trail of cheers and the scent of sweat in their wake.

She scrunched her nose ever so slightly. "Can't say I'm entirely happy about that. Today could have done well without that b.o…"

Evan laughed. "Haha! Good one. Now, let's pay Drey a visit, shall we?" He got up out of his seat and walked towards the back of the store. Lanne followed shortly with a mildly confused expression.

"…It wasn't a joke."

* * *

><p>Deep inside the sub consciousness of Lanne's mind Shax shifted uncomfortably. Despite jabbing at his host's faults, he was actually distracting her from the horrors going on inside her soul. The purples and blues were beginning to be overtaken by dark red and black. In the deeper recesses of her heart was a shattered magenta colored sphere caged in violet tendrils of mana. Shax narrowed his eyes at the orb that was slowly reconstructing itself. Every now and then it would slam itself into the sides of the cage, and in response the mana would spear the sphere with black and white spikes.<p>

"Why protect the girl, Shax?" the sphere sneered at him. Even without tangible form it managed to elicit pangs of doubt within the bi-colored demon. But Shax refused to show his weakness. Instead, he beat his wings to show off his dominance in the situation.

"She is my host and the source of my power now. Unlike you, I use my resources. I don't make them slaughter each other on a whim."

The magenta sphere scoffed. "Men slaughter each other without my aid, Shax. What you call my influence is merely human instinct. _Your_ influence is much worse than mine. And you know it's true. You can tell a lie when you smell one, yes?" Shax flinched for a moment at the challenge, and the recovering soul noticed. "Now tell me if I'm lying. I _will_ get out of here. And you both will suffer a thousand deaths before I am through with you. Understand?"

Shax swallowed thickly and disappeared silently into the part of his host's soul where he dwelled quietly—where he couldn't hear his 'roommate's' voice. He looked up and conjured a window like he always did to watch what was going on in the outside world and waited. But really, it was to distract himself from the inevitability of what was to come.

* * *

><p>As soon as Evan placed a hand on the doorknob, Lanne placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He quirked a brow and retracted his hand slowly away from the door. "What?"<p>

"Before we go in…maybe I should handle this…" she offered in a placated manner. When didn't see a look of understanding on his face she added. "Do you really think he'll give up the info for free? And at a time like this it's bound to be expensive, dragon master or not."

Said-dragon master crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't think I can do it?" It was a statement despite the connotation.

"Evan," Lanne began amicably. Evan could hear the warning bells go off in his head. "I'm sorry to say this, but I'm a little more experienced with this kind of thing than you." Then her lips curved ever so slightly in challenge. "Unless you have a better way of getting info from this guy. I don't know about how truthful this 'Tru' guy was, but the same thing can't be said about his relative just yet." Evan played with the idea of letting her take point on the investigation before shrugging in defeat. It was true. He hated forcing anything out of people. It just wasn't in his nature despite what the Black Wings have done to him in the past. Evan turned the knob and opened the door for his companion.

"After you then, m'lady."

Lanne rolled her eyes and walked through the narrow doorway. The room was stacked to the ceiling with books, gadgets, and weapons from all over. She gasped at the collection and even Evan had to admit that it reminded him of a miniature messy version of Master Grendel's study. In one corner of the room was a surprisingly bare desk, save for a few picture frames, a globe and two books. In the chair behind it sat a middle-aged brunette man sporting readers glasses and lit a cigarette in his mouth. Lanne's eye twitched at the sight of one of greatest her pet peeves. The books could easily get damaged from embers or the pages could absorb the distinct smell of smoke. But then, for a moment, his hair turned black and his five o'clock shadow was replaced with a small goatee: Brighton.

The man noticed the intrusion and shut the books on his desk. He ripped his glasses off his face and reached for something beneath his desk. "If you're here to collect tax, you're sadly mistaken."

Both of them tensed for whatever weapon he was about to pull out, but then they relaxed when he just got his ashtray. Evan was the one to speak first. "Uh, no sir. We just came for some information…"

"Then go find my damned cousin. Tru. Lith Harbor. Can't miss it." The man sighed and reopened his book. "Now, where was I?"

The redhead flexed her hands and reached for her dagger.

"_Hold on, girl."_ Shax warned. For once, she heeded his words and froze. "_Try offering him the watch. Don't worry. He can't steal me."_ Lanne was skeptical at first but trusted the demon's judgment. After all, he had been around for centuries so he had to know what he was doing, right? The redhead unclipped the watch from her belt and tossed it in the man's direction. It landed on his desk with a metallic clang on wood, startling Evan.

"Tell me everything you know about this."

Without even giving it a glimpse he commented, "I'll tell you it's cheap but that's it."

Lanne could feel Shax bristle in anger but tried to help him reigned it in. "Just look at the damned thing and I'll make it worth your while." The brunette man glowered at her and took the watch in his hands and put his glasses back on begrudgingly. His eyes started out as disinterested. Eventually, his irises jumped to all sorts of areas on the watch. Pretty soon, Lanne could have sworn she saw his eyes bulging out of their sockets. He locked eyes with her once more.

"I assume you're here as a friend, yes? If foe, or at least who I thought you were, you would have killed me by now I presume…unless you're here to wring info out of me. Or at the very least forge travel papers for you two." Both of them shook their heads. The man dissected their responses before placing the watch back on the table. "Alright. What d'ya kids need?"

"Grendel the Wise told us that you can tell us more about a cryptex." Lanne began. She pulled out the Ars Goetia and opened to a page. "Looks like this. Do you know anything about it?"

Drey stroked his beard for a moment while squinting carefully at the yellowed parchment. "Hmm… Alright, I got some good news and some bad news for you."

"What's the bad news?" Lanne asked right away. Both Evan and Drey looked at her in mild surprise and she responded with a defensive frown. "What?" She personally preferred having the good last so at least there was _something_ to look forward to after.

The older man scratched his head and took the glasses off again. "Well, the bad news is that it went missing just last night. I found it about a month ago deep inside the Ant Tunnel. Figured I could get a pretty penny for it but I couldn't open it for the life of me!" The informant sighed and took his glasses back off in dejection. "Some thief broke in last night and snatched it. Had to be a pretty good one to get past my traps without settin' one off!"

Evan groaned and palmed his forehead. "And there's like a thousand thieves in the city alone!"

Lanne refused to give up now when the prize was so close. "Now the good news?"

"Now you know the cryptex exists!" Drey offered sheepishly. Lanne grabbed the pocket watch off the table and forced her mana inside instinctively in her anger. The gold was enveloped with a purplish red glow, but the magic rebounded and burned her hand. She hissed and dropped the watch on the dark hardwood floor. Evan and Drey watched in mixed confusion and shock. The former couldn't believe that she had lost her temper so easily while the latter was intrigued by her unusual response to using magic. Pretty soon, he even had the gall to slap his knee and laugh. "Hahaha, I'm just playin' with you kids. I place a tracker on all my important junk, so you can find it with this." He took out a small circular object that looked like a grid from his drawer. "It'll only start beeping when you're really close. Until then, you're stuck with the gold dot on the grid. It should also at least tell you where as well. It won't work across continents just yet since this is just a prototype, but I doubt it left the Island just yet."

"So why didn't you go looking for it earlier?" Evan grumbled, already tired of searching for a day. Drey chuckled and read off the words on the top of the tracker: Phantom Forest. "Ohhh…that's why…"

Lanne sighed and palmed her forehead. "Great. Just great…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Haha! Longer chapter than usual! Hope you guys liked it! I wanted to get into the Phantom Forest as soon as possible. Why? Because you'll finally be able to see Lanne fight…kinda… I hope I have all my italics in the right places, too. Some of them disappear when I upload.

ALSO! I forgot about Lanne's B-day! It was May 4th! Damn. I forgot my own OC's birthday. In the story, she's technically still 18 though.

Yumi: HEY! What about my birthday?

Mana: ...BYE! -runs-

**Trivial Trivia:**

Shax has a particular accent… I meant for it to be a little british. Seriously, I've always wanted to make a character with a british one! I don't know how to write it though. Any suggestions?


	9. Little Big Problem

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Nine: Little Big Problem

**ARCtheElite**: Thanks for the review! In this story, I'm putting NLC as an extension from Kerning. So it'll literally be a train ride away just like how it looks like in the game. Sorry for changing the laws of maple physics but I think it seems more realistic in the story (Or as realistic as maplestory can get, XD). Thanks for pointing it out though! I totally forgot that NLC could possibly constitute as being on another continent!

And as for Lanne's class, Grendel kinda said it in chapter 6. Unfortunately, she doesn't know how to harness her power at all yet, as hinted last chapter and here. Actually by this time, she was supposed to have a weapon in the first draft… Guess you'll know my decision on her weapon by the end of the chapter.

Now, I'm going to make this a little more interesting… Hopefully.

* * *

><p>Lanne exhaled loudly and slouched in her seat. The pocket watch in her hands threatened to fall to the floor, but her fingertips fought to remain safely curled around it. While waiting for the train ride into New Leaf City she decided to practice pouring mana into her watch. Every now and then it started glowing with purple light. In fact, the color of the watch itself flashed from gold to brown and then to violet. The energy didn't hurt her at all, although it did drain much of her stamina. She'd have to practice for a while before she got used to it. Now that she thought about it... Why did the watch burn her? Shax provided no answer. In fact, he hadn't said anything else for a while. That alone bothered the redhead.<p>

Next to her, Evan was dozing off with his head leaning against the glass. Mir finally rejoined them after explaining the situation to a rather…nonchalant train conductor. It was like he was used to seeing things even stranger than an adolescent onyx dragon! Now, the rather irritated lizard hovered just above the floor and played around with small puffs of dragon fire. Speaking of which… Lanne stared at the white bandages that Evan had so carefully wrapped around her smarting right hand after applying some ointment. She was hardly surprised at his knowledge of burn injuries, but the idea of being fretted over was still unnatural for her. The redhead tried to get used to it for the journey's sake. But then what? What happened _after_? Lanne turned to look at her sleeping companion. His unruly hair tickled hers just barely before he shifted again.

"New Leaf City. Next Stop: New Leaf City." The intercom speakers went off. "Please exit on your left."

The dragon perked up at the sound and began to fly around restlessly next to the doors. Lanne chuckled at the almost puppy-like behavior. She then turned to Evan and nudged him. "Hey, Evan. We're here."

He only groaned and turned. This time his head leaned against her shoulder. "Mmm, five more minutes…" She elbowed him a little harder in the ribs. "Ouch! Lanne… You're not very nice, you know that?"

Lanne felt her chest constrict ever so slightly at the familiar words. Even so, the muscles in the corner of her lips twitched in memory. "I've been told that. Now c'mon. Mir looks like he wants to tear the doors down."

At the mention of his Onyx Dragon Evan's face visibly paled. His eyes narrowed and he turned to the dragon that looked like he had been caught in a humiliating act. "Mir. _No_. You remember what happened last time!" Mir let out a low-pitched whine.

"Last time? What do you mean?"

"Well… I've never really been to New Leaf City before. I almost did but," his face grew warm in embarrassment. "Mir got a little claustrophobic and tore a hole in the ceiling. So the trains had to stop running for a little while." Evan turned back to the dragon with a stern glare but Lanne could see his lips twitch in an effort not to look amused at the dragons attempt at making puppy eyes. "You still owe me 850,000 mesos for the repairs, Mir!"

"850,000?" Lanne's repeated as her eyes widened in surprise. How big of a hole did he make?

"And that was discounted," he sighed and grabbed his bag and stashed his wand in a holster on his belt. "I still owe a lot on that actually… Oh well." The train slowed to a stop and Evan gestured for Lanne to go out first (After Mir who had bolted, of course). "After you, miss!"

Lanne pursed her lips and stepped onto the station. Mir was already urging them up the steps and into the sunlight coming from above. A small part of her wanted to stay down below—away from the harsh sunlight and bright blue sky, but as Evan motioned for her to follow she had to resign. Her comfort came later. Hopefully 'later' included a nice warm bed with a hot meal.

* * *

><p>"Welcome to New Leaf City!" a short stout man greeted them from the stairs. His black suit was clean and his shoes polished. Even his head proved to be a rather nice reflector for the sun. The man smiled warmly at Lanne but then gave Evan and Mir a critical eye. "Ah, you must be Mr. Rockwell. Quite the work you've done to our trains in the past, sir."<p>

If dragons could 'meep', Mir did and flew off. Alone and abandoned by his partner now, Evan laughed weakly and scratched his head. "Yeah… Sorry about that, Mayor. I swear I'll pay it off." Meanwhile in his head, he was yelling and complaining at the 'traitor' that left him.

The Mayor narrowed his eyes for a while before bursting into hearty laughter. "I'm just playing around with you, Mr. Rockwell! I'm honored to finally meet the famous dragon master. We can discuss favors another time. And who is this fine lady?"

"Lanne Hunther, sir," she accidentally bit her tongue on her last name and quickly averted her eyes. "_Hunter_, I mean." She was still unused to the contrast in kindness between Victoria Island and Edelstein. Of course, it would probably change once they figured out how dangerous she really was to the Maple World.

He seemed to ignore her blunder and replied politely. "I see. Always a pleasure, Miss Hunter. Now then, what brings you to New Leaf City? Our potent medicine? Our interesting breakthroughs in technology?"

Evan took out a crude drawing of the cryptex he had made prior to leaving Kerning. "We're looking for this object which was stolen last night. We have reason to believe that the culprit has escaped to the Phantom Forest to get pursuers off their trail."

The mayor stroked his black beard and nodded. "That makes sense. It's easy for even the most veteran travelers to get lost in there. We've barricaded the area recently so the only way to get in is to get permission from City Hall." Both Lanne and Evan visibly deflated at the notion of having to make an extra trip, but the mayor grinned at the adventurers. "Lucky for you, I happen to carry exceptional weight in the decision. I assume you have neither time nor patience to wait for paperwork, so I'll lend you my ring. This will tell the guards you have my permission to enter the forest. I'll also arrange for a jeep to bring you right inside as well."

"Thank you so much, Mayor," Lanne bowed her head and the man simply laughed.

"No need for thanks, Miss Hunter." His eyes twinkled in amusement. "I'll go notify my staff about transport right now. In the mean time, why don't you visit our potion market? I recommend our Mana Bull concoction for Mr. Rockwell. It'll certainly work better than any other potion in Ellinia, guaranteed! As for you, Miss Hunter… Just what is your profession? Archer? Thief?" he eyed her curiously but then shrugged. "Ah well. I supposed I'll find out in due time. Now then, give me thirty minutes tops! I'll have your arrangements finished by then and a jeep will find you regardless of where you are in the city!"

Lanne frowned after his departure despite his words of praise and benevolence. What kind of adventurer was she? She had a dagger in her boot. She knew how to work the mechanics of a crossbow by watching the Wild Hunter recruits train. She knew how to fire a gun more or less by playing with Belle's when she wasn't looking. She even knew how to mix gunpowder with Checky's help. But…what skills did she have on her own? Lanne hadn't really thought about what the pact _made_ her. She only thought about how it changed her.

_"Miss Hunter, now that you have created the pact, you are what us magicians call a Battle Mage. You control distortions of dark mana to attack at will…_"

"Battle Mage…huh," she mumbled to herself and allowed her fingers to trace the outline of her golden watch in her pocket. How did they attack? Far range? Close range? And what did they use? Staves? Wands?

All of a sudden, Evan clapped her shoulder and beamed brightly at her. "C'mon Lanne! I wanna try that Mana Bull he was talking about while we still have time!"

"I think…I'll pass…" she hesitated when she saw his eyes sadden, but her resolve steeled itself again. "I want to practice with the watch again."

The dragon master furrowed his brows in what she believed was disapproval. "Lanne, It's not safe to be training alone—especially in a new place like this."

"I'm eighteen, Evan. I'm not a child anymore, and I can take care of myself," she countered evenly. The mage looked hurt for a moment before narrowing his eyes in frustration.

"So am I and, sorry to say this but, I'm a little more experienced with this kind of thing than you. I'm not going to let you hurt yourself if I have a chance to avoid it." He reiterated her earlier words in smug sarcasm, with which she took great offense. What was with him and reminding her of _everything_? Brighton's words. Belle's fire. Checky's cockiness. Claudine's loyalty. The children's curiosity. Alecia's kindness…

'_NO!'_ Lanne chided herself and willed the last thought away. The images that took so long to scrape off the walls of her memory began to resurface and she fought to burn them again. No more. No more shared sunsets. No more stories. No more tears.

"Lanne…? You okay? Sorry, I didn't mean it like that!" Evan must have noticed her fluctuating emotions because the scowl was gone from his face and replaced with concern. She could see it now—the color and shape of his heart. An empathetic green sphere with folded bluish wings. Lanne thought it looked majestic. Beautiful even. And what would her soul look like? Would it resemble the 'Lilith' she was always associated with? Immediately she grew defensive, knowing that the mage also had a talent for reading hearts. When had Evan's opinion of her soul become so important to her?

"No, I should be apologizing. You just wanted to help me," Lanne offered the olive branch. "I do need to pick up a few potions for practice I suppose. You can give me some tips on the way maybe?"

Evan breathed a sigh of relief and exhaled a nervous breath he must have been holding. "You scare me sometimes, y'know that? One minute you're quiet, another you're annoyed and defensive, and next you're all excited!"

"Excited? Me?" she raised a brow in disbelief. "I don't think so."

"True. Fine. You're curious." He corrected himself. "Don't think I don't notice the way you take in the sights like a sponge!"

"So you've been watching me?" His face grew warm in what she guessed was guilty discomfort. Lanne smiled a tiny bit, even though she still couldn't understand his behavior, and turned. "Now let's go shopping before we get picked up!" As she walked ahead, Evan took off his headband and ran his hand through his unruly brown hair. Mir finally returned from checking the area and was curious about his master's state.

"_Master? Are you running a fever?"_

"Mir…" the mage put his headband back on and turned to his companion. "Lanne is one strange girl."

The dragon scoffed and stared at Evan with a mischievous glint in his eyes. _"Not to sound like the devil's advocate, but a boy that made a spirit pact with an Onyx Dragon saying that about a girl that made a blood pact with a demon…sounds a little hypocritical."_

"Oh will you let me win for once, Mir?"

* * *

><p>After twists, turns, and a lighter wallet, the jeep finally picked them up at the marketplace. The smooth road gradually roughed up—so much in fact that Lanne's shoulder constantly banged against the large armored doors. Once she was sure that I would bruise the jeep came to a slow halt and the doors were opened for them. "So…this is the Phantom Forest?" Lanne asked as they stepped out and onto the dead grass. The trees looked like they had claws for branches and wicked faces. The air even felt cold and stale—like death. In her chest she could feel Shax stirring and brimming with enthusiasm. "I can't say Shax is disappointed."<p>

Evan pulled out the radar from his bag and handed it to her. "Here. There's no guarantee that we can stay together in the forest. If we get separated then I can try to find you with Mir."

"I doubt you and Mir can see me through the tree tops. The branches wind too thick up there," Lanne frowned at his knowing grin. "What?"

"Remember how you said you can see my soul? By the way, it's very invasive so try not to do it too much," he wagged his finger teasingly. "We've traveled together long enough for Mir and I to recognize your trail."

"And if you can't?"

"Hmmm…call my name?" he suggested and she lightly punched his arm. "Oww! I'm joking! Joking! But yeah…what should we do… You can't use magic yet so that takes flares out of the equation."

An unearthly groan echoed out from all around them. Even Lanne had to shiver at the noise. Judging by how loud it was, Lanne guessed that her little dagger would do nothing to help fend it off. Evan grabbed his dragon wing wand from his belt on reflex and glanced around. Despite its futility, Lanne got ready to draw the knife from her boot.

"_Do you honestly think that will help? To think I had high hopes for you. Humans are a lot more naïve than I thought, then._" Shax finally spoke for the first time in hours. _"Try the watch one more time. This forest is full of energy that demons love. It should help the process along."_

Lanne obediently did as told and pulled the shining gold watch out from her pocket. She concentrated a steady flow of mana into the metal and felt it heat up. A part of her worried about it burning her hand once more, but the color of the watch was overtaken with a purple glow even brighter than ever. In her hand, she could feel it change shape, elongating and narrowing into a staff that was a little bit more than three-fourths her height. The material changed from warm metal into cool sectioned wood. Occasionally it pulsated with a violet aura.

"Well. That solved one problem…" Lanne murmured in awe at the weapon she now held in her hands. The head of the staff arched and an orb floated in the center. It swirled with familiar black and white mist. "…Shax?"

"_At your service,"_ he spoke and Evan let out a surprised shout.

"Whoa… Haven't heard you for a while!"

"You can hear him?"

The dragon master nodded. "Yeah, in my head. Kinda like how Mir talks to me. I wonder why?"

"_This way if you get separated, you can hear me. I'm not too great at far range attacks so we still can't use your 'flare' method, as you call it." _Shax explained while attempting to ignore that Mir was flying around and sniffing the staff in curiosity. _"While I'm not too skilled at sensing your wavelength yet, you should be able to sense hers more easily now."_

"Wow! That's so cool!" Evan exclaimed While Lanne let out a tired sigh.

"That's all good news but somehow I'm not too comfortable lugging this staff around without knowing how to use it…" she deadpanned and slowly twirled the staff uncertainly. "I don't know the first thing about using staves."

"_No need to worry,"_ Shax reassured her in a smug tone. _"As a part of your soul, I can also control some of your movements. So I can teach you how to fight without taking time out of your journey."_

The redhead felt the air behind her shift as well as an icy cold breath on the back of her neck. She quickly turned with the staff in front of her protectively to face whatever ghoul awaited her. "Wha—"

A flash of lightning crashed in front of her and struck the mysterious black hooded creature. It screeched and disappeared into the darkness. Evan breathed a sigh of relief. "What the heck was that?"

"_If I recall, they are called Elderwraiths in the human language. It's a tad bit strange though. I thought they were supposed to linger deeper into the forest. Something is drawing them here…"_ Shax answered.

"_Or driving them away,"_ Mir concluded after a pause. Now Lanne was stunned.

"I heard Mir…"

The dragon stared directly at the redhead and nodded. _"As much as I don't want to, I have to. Communication is the most important thing we can have here. Think of Shax and I as a phone line. We can split up without losing too much time finding each other as long as we stay close."_

"Split up?" Evan furrowed his brows in disapproval. "No way! It's too dangerous!"

"Mir has a point, Evan. With each passing moment, the thief is getting away and so is the cryptex. This forest is too big for us to stick together." Lanne reached forward to scratch Mir for a job well done. "I'll take this side and you take the other. If we get in trouble we'll use Shax and Mir to communicate." She paused for a moment in thought. "If that doesn't work and something happens to me… Just listen for a whistle, okay?"

Evan looked doubtfully at her. "A whistle? I somehow don't think it'll be loud enough."

"Sound echoes here, doesn't it? And don't worry. I can whistle pretty loud," she smirked at him with cunning eyes. "I've been caring for the big jaguars, remember?" When it still didn't convince the dragon master, she shook her head and picked a direction.

"Hey, Lanne…" the redhead paused and turned to the dragon master. He had a warm look in his blue green eyes but a weak smile belied his concern. "Remember. Just call and I'll come running."

She was about to make a joke about being a mother hen, but upon a second thought she nodded reassuringly and sent him a tiny smile as well. "Alright." She turned again and added while she walked. "And try not to kill the thief if you see him!"

"Try not to force me to look for you!" Evan countered, but already he sounded a far ways away. Lanne continued to navigate through the tricks and turns of the eerie Phantom Forest. Every now and then she came into contact with more Elderwraiths, but she managed to avoid conflict. As much as she wanted to learn how to protect herself, finding the cryptex thief came first.

Just as Mir said, the deeper in she went the less enemies she saw. The only ones around her were the immovable trees that she learned could reach out and grab an unsuspecting traveler. "Shax, do you sense anything?"

_"Yes, but… Well, it's not exactly human."_

"Well that summarizes this entire forest, doesn't it?" She commented dryly and leaned against one of the trees that weren't trying to claw her eyes out.

Shax groaned in frustration to her comment. _"Will you take a warning when I tell you? I bet if I told you a monster was getting closer you wouldn't believe me!"_

"Well, when you put it like that then no, I wouldn't." As soon as she said that, the loud groan from before echoed through the forest. Except this time, it was a lot closer than before. The ground trembled evenly, like footsteps…big footsteps. "Okay, now I believe you." She bolted up from her spot but the roots of the tree caught her. Lanne cried out in pain when the rough branches of the tree curled around her. Her staff clattered to the floor and shifted back into a harmless pocket watch. "Shit!"

"_I contacted Mir just before I changed back, but it'll take a little time before he gets the broken signal! So whistle damn it!"_ Shax shouted. Lanne wet her lips and let out a short high-pitched whistle before the branches hugged her harder against the dead bark. Every time she tried to suck in a breath, the tree cut her air off again.

The loud rumbles came closer and closer as Lanne came painfully aware of a putrid stench coming her way. From the shadows a beast of sickly yellow and brown fur and dreadlocks stalked towards the redhead. It roared in anger and tried biting what looked like a lollipop hanging from a rod an imp was holding.

"What the hell is that?" Lanne grimaced at the smell and size of the huge beast. Her eyes flitted towards the pocket watch a few feet away. She struggled against the branches holding her captive once more. If she could just reach her boot over…

The footsteps suddenly stopped. Confused, Lanne turned back but was now face to face with the creature with rotten breath. Her heart pounded wildly against her chest and she found she couldn't breath. Her ears were ringing and a high-pitched note kept repeating over and over again in her head. Shax was shouting something but her mind was shutting down. Was this how it ended? Not at the hands of Ars Noctis or even a human. A monster would be her demise?

"_Remember. Just call and I'll come running."_

"Ev…" she wheezed but the sharp branches now crept up around her throat. The monster's mouth opened, revealing large blunted teeth covered in blood and decayed flesh. All she could do was shut her eyes…

"Jeez… You're pathetic y'know that?"

A metallic sound accompanying the voice forced her green eyes open. From the ground, a purple chain of mana wrapped itself around the beast and held its movements. It roared in rage and the imp on its back cried out in frustration. A figure landed in front of her with a silent step. At first, she thought it was the cat-eyed man from the attack on Edelstein, but as her fear subsided she recognized it as the thief from the alley.

"You're…"

"How annoying," he cut her off and leapt towards the beast. With quick practiced ease he drew his cursayer dagger and cut the candy hanging from the rod. With bait in hand, he tossed it far into the murky darkness of the forest. The monster growled and raced after it into the shadows. After waiting a few seconds, the man sheathed his blade and turned back to Lanne with a skeptical look in his eyes. "So Red, were you so enthralled with me that you had to come find me? Surely that's the only reason you're here."

"My name is Lanne," she hissed at him, blood racing with adrenaline from her near death experience. Unfortunately, it didn't faze him. Instead his gaze wandered around. Lanne's cheeks felt uncomfortably warm from the way he was staring up and down her body with his steely gray eyes. She struggled against the tree's branches again. The dark haired thief laughed and leaned in towards her, cupping her chin with warm fingertips.

"Wanna tell me why you're really here? This is no place for an unarmed woman like yourself." Her eyes narrowed at his smug smirk as she tried to bite his fingers with empty results. "How rude! I know a lot of ways to make this situation rewarding for me quite easily, Red." He grinned at her bothered expression and then playfully stroked her bare arm to see her reaction.

At the blatant suggestion, her face shone a brilliant red that rivaled her hair. The man laughed and cut the branches with his dagger. Once she was free, Lanne went to smack him across the face, but right before her hand made contact with a blue light. It vanished as quickly as it came. So fast, in fact, that she thought it may have just been a trick of the eye. But the results were obvious. His face sported no swollen hand mark at all. "What…?" The man chuckled at her confused expression and turned to walk away. "Wait! Tell me who you are!"

He raised his hand in a still wave and, without looking back, answered her cryptically. "I'm pretty sure we'll meet again, Red. No need to worry about my name. Yet."

Lanne could imagine the lecherous grin on his face as he left before she could yell at him. What was with this guy? Saving her, messing with her, and then leaving her? The nerve! From behind her, she could not hear Evan stumbling through the brush with scratches on his face and dirt on his robes.

"Hey, are you alright? I came as fast as I could… Lanne?" he frowned at her shaken and disheveled appearance. Not to mention her red complexion. "You okay?"

"Okay? Okay? Where the hell were you?" she snapped at him with furious eyes that hid the hurt. To think she relied on him! As much as she didn't want to admit, if that thief hadn't arrived then…

All of a sudden a burst of heat flashed against her face and she stumbled back in surprise. Lanne heard Evan shout at Mir but the dragon's sights were boring holes at the redhead. _"Don't get mad at him! You may have the power of Shax with you, but without my master then you are as good as lost here." _Mir growled and huffed another stream of fire near her._ "You're lucky that help came at all. This forest is near impossible to navigate, let alone find someone in it!"_

"Mir, stop it!" Evan demanded and the dragon backed up reluctantly. The dragon master sighed and put a hand to his forehead like he had a migraine. "I'm sorry, Lanne. I know I should have come sooner and I have no excuse for that."

The more her heart rate slowed down to a normal rhythm, she guiltily began to notice just how right Mir was. Lanne finally shook her head and picked her watch up off the floor. "It's fine... C'mon, let's go." She appeared calm, but deep inside she felt furious. Not at Evan or Mir. In fact she couldn't tell if it was at her rescuer or at herself, but at the time she didn't even care. After a thought, she glanced at the tracker Drey had given them. Oddly enough it was off. She didn't remember ever turning it off… When she turned it back on, she blanched at the results. The golden dot was moving at an alarming rate…

In the direction her 'savior' left

"That asshole…"

"_No finer words could have been said to your hero, eh?"_

"Shut up, Shax."

_"Yes, ma'am…"_

* * *

><p><em>Scratch. Scratch.<em>

"So let me get this straight…" Evan began. They both concluded that separating probably wasn't a good idea anymore. "So, right before I came you were attacked by a tree and some weird monster."

_Nod_

"And then you were saved by a thief you met in Kerning…"

_Nod_

"But when he left, you realized that he probably has the cryptex…"

…_Nod_

The dragon master sighed and then finished disinfecting the scratches on her arms. "Can't say I'm surprised. He probably turned the radar off when you weren't looking." Now that she thought about it, she did hear a high-pitched beep just before she was saved. Evan handed her a white potion and drank his own bottle next to her. "So, what's the plan?"

Lanne narrowed her eyes and downed the drink quickly. The bitter herbs were overtaken by her irritation, but she fought to keep her cool. "We find him. It looks like he stopped here." They both looked up at the iron gates of the Haunted Mansion with discomfort. "He's probably taking a break from being on the run." She put the empty bottle in her bag and got up. "Up for round two?" Evan grinned and joined her inside the macabre house.

The boards creaked and the air was still as stale as ever, but surprisingly enough a maid greeted them at the door. "Welcome."

"Uh…hey. Have you seen anyone come through here?" Evan asked.

The maid smiled mysteriously. "I see none and I see all. Seek and ye shall find, but they don't say what you'll find…"

Lanne raised a brow. "Right… I'll just check the radar…"

"Again?" she stopped at the sound. "We either have a knack for running into each other or you're quite the experienced stalker. Have you had lessons?" a voice that grated on her nerves came from the upper staircase. The two travelers stepped back when the dark-haired thief jumped down and landed easily on one knee. In one hand was his drawn cursayer dagger while in the other was a gold cylindrical device: the cryptex. "You couldn't be after this now, could you?"

"Hand it over!" Evan demanded and drew his wand. While Mir roared and got into position, Lanne grabbed her watch as it turned into a staff. The thief chuckled and twirled his knife skillfully in one hand after pocketing his treasure.

"You'll have to beat it outta me first, lizard boy!" he charged towards the dragon mage with incredible speed. His black dagger clashed with his golden wand, creating sparks in the exchange. Meanwhile, Lanne approached cautiously while almost screaming at Shax to start giving her lessons on the staff.

"_As ominous as dark mana sounds, it's hardly different than normal other than the fact that you channel it through me as well as yourself," _Shax tried to explain. Lanne could feel a steady flow of energy through her. In fact, her staff suddenly became emblazoned with violet light._ "Now run towards that git and give him what for!"_

"But—"

_"Just trust me!"_

Without hesitation she charged towards the thief and caught him by surprise. Lanne could feel her body moving in accordance with Shax's guidance: a downward slash followed by a side sweep and basic spin to recover. The thief grimaced at the contact made at his back and jumped a few steps away. The redhead marveled at the feel of the weapon's impact. Even if the staff was blunt, it felt like she was fighting with a blade. Lanne could see dark tendrils of smoke rising up from his wounds. It seemed familiar but she couldn't place her finger on it.

While on the attack, Evan cast a slow spell followed by a blast of lightning from Mir. "Nice going!"

The thief rolled out of the way of the bolt but couldn't avoid the redhead's follow up uppercut that send him flying upwards. He groaned and whipped a thin dribble of blood from a cut on his lip and smiled grimly. "Not bad for your first time, Red. But can you do this?" The thief stabbed his dagger into the ground. A purple magic circle in the shape of a gear surrounded him. She recognized the movement and looked down at the floor where she saw a similar gear spinning beneath her.

"Cr—" A dark purple chain erupted from the ground and caught her in its grip. The mana felt hot against her body and even worse against the wounds on her arms. At least this time Shax was still in her grip. Evan gave a furious cry as Mir let out a large stream of fire in the thief's direction. It trapped the culprit in a small ring of dragon fire, but he didn't look the slightest bit panicked.

"Let her go," Evan glared at the thief with hard blue green eyes. The dark haired man's silver eyes stared back with an arrogant grin as he put a hand on his hip.

"The girl or the cryptex?" he asked and pulled the golden cylinder out from his bag. Both Lanne and Evan stared at it wantonly for a second but the dragon master recovered.

"The girl." Lanne narrowed her eyes at the choice.

The thief hardly looked surprised. "Now that's the problem with you heroes. You take the moral answer instead of the obvious one. Pretty idiotic of you, so tell you what…" He tapped his forehead twice almost playfully after sheathing his cursayer. Through the flames, Lanne could make out a familiar color of blue before the thief shot forward through the fire. He tackled Evan to the ground and held him down with his arm against the magician's neck. Before Mir could react, another gear appeared and captured the dragon within its chains. He struggled, but Lanne was unfortunate enough to know that they would be tough to break if the monster that almost ate her couldn't.

"Evan!"

"How about I take both the girl and the cryptex? Seems like a good enough deal, eh?" the thief grinned at Evan's futile resistance. "I'll even help her find the other locations of the books. Better for her, yes? And you, Mr. Hero, can be on your merry way and do whatever hero stuff you need to do." Lanne's ears perked up at the information but her hatred towards the thief only intensified upon registering the entirety of his demands.

Evan seemed to read her mind and smirked smugly despite the situation. "Yeah? Then why not get the books for yourself? You don't need us. Why bother letting us catch up to you? Why take her with you in the first place?"

The thief narrowed his now guarded eyes for the first time since their confrontation. He pushed his arm a little more against Evan's throat and chuckled at the mage's discomfort. "That's something for me to know and for you to never find out, Lizard boy." The dark haired man slowly drew his dagger.

"_Oh my… That's rather peculiar."_ Shax piped in at last and Lanne huffed in frustration.

"We're getting our asses kicked and that's all you can say?"

_"No, that boy… How?"_ Her demon sounded perplexed but nonetheless shook away his curiosity. _"No matter. It's a little too soon to teach you this but we can't have our travel guide dying can we? Tap the staff on the ground twice and imagine a chain. You're creative enough to do that, right?"_ She grunted at his quip but managed to do as told.

Upon the second tap, a smaller blue gear appeared on the floor. On instinct, she imagined a similar gear just behind the thief and willed her magic to shoot out from that spot. A long blue chain of mana burst out from the ground and slammed itself against the thief's back on an angle, shoving him off of Evan in the process. The chains didn't bind him like she had intended. Instead, they disappeared upon impact, but at least she got the desired result. Evan coughed for air and wheezed a breathy thanks before readying into a stance. Lanne briefly wondered what he could do without Mir.

The thief shakily got back on his feet and chuckled weakly. "Not bad. Not bad at all. Guess I won't have to worry too much if this is what you can do, Red." Lanne furrowed her brows in confusion and lightly gasped when he took out the cryptex from his bag. He carelessly tossed it over to Evan. "I'd rather not get any more beat up by you two so… C'ya!" He turned to walk away into the shadows of the mansion.

"Wait!"

"Evan!" Lanne warned. "Leave him. We got what we came for. Now if you don't mind…" She looked down at the chains that still bound her.

"Oh, right, right," he stammered and hurried over. "Uh…got any chain cutters?" Before he could touch them they disappeared into the air. Mir was freed as well and stretched his cramped wings. "Looks like they either have some distance limit or he just did it on purpose."

"I'm not in any mood to ask him right now anyway," she said evenly. The two of them settled into a silence before Evan coughed and then broke out into loud laughter. Lanne furrowed her brows in mild concern for her companion's sanity. "What's so funny?"

"We just got our asses kicked," he answered while wiping his eye. "I'd say this calls for a celebration!"

"…'getting our asses kicked' warrants a celebration?"

"C'mon, Lanne! We're alive with the cryptex and now all we gotta do it get it back to Drey!" Evan, being the optimistic one in their party of…four…was smiling from ear to ear at the still skeptical redhead. "By the way, how did you do all that? That was awesome!"

"Evan…"

"Okay, that's the 'Lanne is pissed and needs some space' tone so I'm just gonna go… Bye!" The magician and his dragon bolted for the mansion doors.

"Hey! Get back here!" she shouted as she followed after him. But despite her harsh tone, she felt at ease. Evan was right. They were alive—albeit through pity. Lanne saw how skilled the thief was in the alley he saved her in. There was no way he went all out on them today. If anything, he was playing. Time would only tell if they'd survive the next encounter.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: A 7k chapter. Haven't done that in a while! I wanted to transition between other characters and scenarios (Like go back to Claudine and Brighton or even Ars Noctis) but I wasn't sure…meh. ANYWAY, I wonder if anyone noticed my little bit of foreshadowing in this chapter. I definitely did something extremely important here.

Please review! I REALLY need to know if I'm getting somewhere in the story or if I'm dragging it on.

**Trivial Trivia: Weapons Part 1**

Lanne's weapon is based off a Crimson Arcanon with a few minor adjustments. In the game, it's surrounded by a red aura and the jewel in the center is red. Lanne's is surrounded with a violet aura and the jewel in the center of the head is black and white—symbolizing that her power originates from the pact with Shax. Colors play a big role for Lanne (Hint hint)

And I wanna clear this up early. The weapons shown here in no way shape or form dictate their levels. For example. The Crimson Arcanon is a level 100 weapon but Lanne isn't. As for Evan, I'm just using the wand Nexon gave him, XD. According to Basilmarket, his weapon is called the Revolution Wand but I like calling it Dragon Wing Wand. I think the name suits him more for obvious reasons. Wow, i'm breaking maple physics again.

And the mystery thief's weapon, Cursayer, is a level 90 weapon. I'll leave his real level to your imagination…


	10. Rock the Boat

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter Ten: Rock the Boat

I once more took a break of Maple... I couldn't help it. I was trying out S4 League and Aion. I might go back on soon. For now i'm trying to play games with my boyfriend since he's starting College before me XD.

-stare-

Time to torture the characters now.

* * *

><p><em>"Alecia? Alecia!" seven-year-old Lanne called as she walked around town aimlessly searching for her friend. She hadn't seen the brunette girl for days now and her parents kept telling her she wasn't home. The two of them hadn't done their ritual for a long time and Lanne deeply missed it. "Oomph… Sorry!" She apologized to a tall man that she had accidentally bumped into. The man scowled and brushed past her while mumbling colorful words in harsh low whispers. Lanne lowered her gaze to the floor in hurt.<em>

"_Lanne?"_

_The redhead turned her head to the sound and was surprised to see it was coming from the upstairs window of Alecia's house. Lanne looked left and right for her parents. When the coast was clear, she quickly climbed the tree and crawled over to a thick branch near the open window. _

"_Ale—" She paused with a gasp at the sight. Her brunette friend was lying in bed with a thin tube attached to her left hand. Her complexion was much paler than she had ever seen before and her dark brown eyes were half lidded in fatigue. "Alecia…?"_

_The brunette smiled weakly and pushed herself up. "Hehe, sorry I couldn't do our routine… I haven't been feeling very good lately."_

_Lanne adjusted her seat on the branch and focused her attention on the bedridden girl. "Do you have the flu? I can get Claudine!"_

"_No, it's fine. A doctor was actually just here an hour ago. She said I'd be okay if I stayed in bed and took some medicine," Alecia answered softly. _

"_So…if you stay in bed you'll be okay? You'll go outside again?" the redhead asked tentatively. Alecia blinked in confusion, so Lanne had to dig deeper. "You won't…go away, right?"_

_The brunette's eyes widened before softening. Her lips curved into a warm smile as she gave her friend victory sign. "I promise I won't go anywhere without you."_

_Lanne's frown slowly disappeared and she smiled as well. The ache in her chest from earlier was gone and replaced with warmth. However, the sound of footsteps approaching made Lanne lurch in fear and she turned to her friend apologetically. Alecia nodded and mouthed a sorry as well before Lanne jumped down from the tree and out of sight. _

_Not a minute later, Alecia's mother stepped inside the room with a bowl of chicken broth, water, and a bottle of medicine. "Alecia, keep that window closed! You'll get even worse!" As her mother closed the door, she took notice of the retreating back of the redhead. "That girl again… Who does she think she is, getting close to my daughter? Alecia, I want you to avoid her at all costs! There aren't good whispers about that one! Your father would be horrified to learn that you even know _their_ daughter!"_

_"Yes mother…" Alecia nodded obediently as she took a sip of her broth. She grimaced as the hot food burned her tongue and the bitter taste made her want to spit it out. But she bore it. She bore it for her fretting mother. She bore it for her dead father. Alecia wanted to cry out. Instead, she tilted her head and smiled that cute smile that made her mother's heart melt and hers break. "Delicious!"_

* * *

><p>"We finally made it out of there…" Lanne groaned as she slumped in her train car seat. Evan sighed in agreement and rubbed his sore muscles. After a while the jeep finally found the two wandering the forest aimlessly. But though battered and bruised, they were one step closer to Solomon's books. All they needed to do was get back to Drey in Kerning now to figure out how to open it.<p>

Evan fiddled with the gold contraption with little success. "How the heck do you open this thing?" When it looked like he was sorely tempted to just break the thing open Lanne grabbed it out of his hands.

"Careful not to force it," she frowned and cradled it carefully in her arms. "It's very delicate. If forced a compartment full of acid spills and destroys everything inside." Her fingers spun one out of the eight rings. Upon closer inspection, the device wasn't entirely gold at all. The rings were made of some shiny pearl-like material and small letters seemed to be inlaid in them with dark marble. Lanne was pleasantly surprised that an object of such beauty withstood the tests of time and came back in such a condition. No doubt Drey had a bit to do with the shine before it got stolen. "You spin these to enter a code to safely get what's inside."

Evan grinned and pet the redhead's hair. "Well aren't you a little bundle of knowledge!" She squirmed and lightly slapped his hand away.

"I read the book, unlike you," Lanne smoothed her hair and then began turning the rings absentmindedly. "Problem is, we can't hope to get this open without figuring out the key."

"Key? I don't see a hole though."

"No. It's not that kind. Think of it like a map key. It tells you what symbols mean what." She explained and pointed to the letters on the wheels. "Another problem is what's written on these wheels. I can't make sense of it."

"_I think I can make sense of it. Let me see," _Shax piped in. Lanne held her watch up to the cryptex. She heard the demon hum in thought. _"Interesting. It's written in the old language. But it's strange… If I recall, the war between humans and demons hadn't ended more than two decades ago. It's too far along the timeline to be using this alphabet." _

Evan pursed his lips in thought. "Maybe this one is another cryptex?"

"_Nope. This one is it,"_ Shax answered quickly. _"It still has traces of bloodlust and energy from the war. I'd know that scent anywhere." _The train screeched to a stop, signaling the end of the line.

"Kerning City. Last stop. Kerning City. Please exit to your left!"

"Well, shall we?" Lanne motioned to the door. Evan laughed a little and turned her fully to the exit. The large Onyx Dragon was scratching the door while whining until it opened.

"We should probably wait for Mir first…"

"Agreed."

* * *

><p>"Ah, so you made it back in one piece! Nice, nice!" Drey congratulated the travelers and even offered them glasses of what they presumed was ale. "Cheers!"<p>

Lanne rubbed her forehead and politely declined the choice of beverage. "Sorry, but we need to open this as soon as possible." She took out the cryptex and handed it over to the dark haired man. He frowned at her impatience but took the gold device nonetheless. From his desk, he took out a strange pair of glasses that looked like they had five separate lenses of differing strengths. "Here. Sit down and we can chat while I work."

"Sure you won't get distracted?" Evan teased. "I wouldn't want to keep her waiting. She's scary!" For once, her narrowed glare didn't bother him in the slightest. In fact, the smirk on the dragon master's face grew wider.

"She looks like it," Drey played along but eased up when her gaze settled on his. The informant coughed and turned a ring. "So, who took it?"

Lanne scoffed and crossed her arms before settling down on a soft armchair in the room full of knickknacks and treasure. "Tall and tone build. Grey eyes. Black hair. Used a curved dagger." She was used to giving short and to the point descriptions from her experience in Edelstein. Much to Brighton and the gang's chagrin she never took credit.

Drey pursed his lips in thought. "Pervert?"

She nodded and bitterly agreed. "That's the one."

"Ah, so you met Chase." He chuckled while Evan furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Pervert?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, Evan," Lanne cut his next question off quickly and shook off the memory of the thief's wandering eyes over her. Now that she thought about it, something was definitely off with his eyes that couldn't just be a trick of the light. Although he spoke cocky his eyes spoke a different story. Lanne just couldn't put her finger on it though...

"Aha!" Drey cheered and pulled out a thin strip of paper from a hidden compartment in the puzzle. "Here we go. I can't read a single word of it but at least it's one clue, right?" Both Lanne and Evan quickly came over and saw the strange combination of delicate curves and dots of ink.

"_I can read it. Relay it to them because if I change into a staff now then that man will have more questions than I care to answer,"_ Shax said and the redhead nodded in agreement and listened for the translation. _"God planted the tree. Man devoured the fruit. The world became introduced to sin and could never return to what it once was—paradise."_

After saying it aloud she took a step back from the small slip of papyrus and frowned. "What is this supposed to mean?"

"It doesn't sound like a riddle to solve," Drey shook his head while ignoring the impulse to ask how she managed to read such an old language. "Anyway, you'll probably be able to figure some more out at the library in Orbis. Take the boat in the six-path crossway and board. Lately they've been cracking down on I.D. so make sure you have some with you."

The redhead shifted uncomfortably. "I don't have my passport…"

"And why the hell not, girlie? In times like these, you need that sort of thing!" The informant scolded but Evan shut him up with a hard glare. "Haha… Just kidding. I figured you didn't have any so I fixed this up for ya." He pulled out two small maple red booklets from his back pocket. The travelers took a glance inside and gaped.

"These are fake?"

Drey laughed, "Not yours, Hero. I nabbed that off you the first time you came in. Afterall, I gotta know who I'm dealin' with, eh? Oh, there's something else for you in the next room. Go get it for us will ya, boy?" When the magician left hesitantly, Drey turned to Lanne. "I couldn't find yours at all but…I swear I've seen ya face before, girl. Who's ya father?"

"None of your business," she snapped. A part of her felt guilty for her rude reply to the man that gave her identification but the mention of her father was a touchy subject when spoken by strangers. Drey merely laughed at her reaction. "What's so funny?"

"Now I get it. You really are the Hunter's girl like I thought. So here's your payment…" he grinned and passed her a small envelope that was yellowed with age. "Give this to your father if you see him and punch him good for me when ya do!" He winked and did a hand sign where he brought two fingers to his lips, then his forehead and then in her direction. Lanne's eyes widened in recognition.

"No way… You were…?" she grabbed his extended hand in desperation. "You knew them. You were in that war—you know my parents!" Lanne spoke quickly but was quickly despairing at his changing expression from humor to somberness. "Do you know anything at all?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Well… I suppose I can spill since I owe someone a favor. Last I heard from your father was about a year ago. He said he was digging up from info from the library in Orbis. So if you're lucky, maybe you can find out what he was trying to find out."

"Found it! Jeez, Drey, learn to clean up a little! I almost got crushed by the books in your…am I interrupting something?" Evan came back in the room. His headband was nearly falling off his disheveled hair.

"No, we were just finishing up," Lanne let go of Drey's hand and nodded to the informant. "Thanks." Drey smiled and waved them off. Evan led the way out of the café while Lanne silently followed—too buried in her thoughts to make idle chatter. The gesture Drey did… She saw Claudine and Brighton exchange it a few times when they didn't think she was looking. Belle and Checky caved in after she drilled them for an explanation. They said that it was an old signal from the past; before the current job masters led the Resistance. Checky even told her it was back when they were all rookies and in training, although Brighton and Claudine were a few years ahead.

"Lanne? Hey you alright?" Evan's concern cut through the haze of thought and she nodded in affirmation.

"Yeah…just thinking of what our next step is." She was mildly surprised that they had already left the urban area outside the city and made their way onto grass. "The Six path crossway is where you found me, right?"

The dragon master nodded. "Yeah, right around here." He motioned to a shaded area hidden by trees and bushes. "I might not have seen you if Mir didn't sniff you out. He said something about a…musty or dirty scent?"

Lanne scoffed slightly. "Well, Edelstein _is_ a mining town I suppose. I don't suppose the burn smoke smell was there too?" She frowned after realizing her choice of words. "Sorry…"

Evan looked like he was going to say something else but paused. Mir nudged his back, causing the mage to smile a little. "Come on. Our station is just up ahead. You can go first in case you fall." He motioned to the multiple ladders up a huge tree where she could just see a large shadow of a ship. Lanne narrowed her eyes at the distance from there to the ground and then at Mir (Who seemed to be smiling at her carefully concealed irritation). Evan didn't see it and curiously took a closer look at her. "You okay, Lanne?"

She hid her rolling eyes from him and grabbed onto the ladder to begin the ascent. "Just peachy."

* * *

><p>Upon finally reaching the boarding dock headed for Orbis Lanne felt a strong gust of wind nearly cause her to stumble. She was amazed at the height they climbed (Although still bitter about her now smarting hands from the rope). A moderate sized line was formed towards a large wooden boat with white sails and large motor. It made her wonder how a boat that looked sea worthy could sail through the air just the same.<p>

"Is this thing…safe?" Lanne hesitated when it was their turn to board the boat. It was large and majestic, yes, but the plank leading up to it seemed to grow narrower the closer she got. Normally she was all right with climbing heights…but _flying_ was a totally different matter.

Evan noticed her pallor and chuckled at her increasingly futile attempts to hide her discomfort. "This thing is totally safe, Lanne. The only thing we have to worry about is pirates but that hardly ever happens. 'Sides, if we _do_ get attacked, then you got me!" He puffed his chest out in what he thought was manly. When he received a blank stare from his travel companion he exhaled disappointedly and gestured for her to cross the plank first.

Lanne's eyes widened and she took a step back. "No, you go first." The passengers behind them began to complain. Normally, Evan wouldn't mind them, but when he caught the impatient glare of the captain…

"Mir?" he smirked at his partner, who smiled back and suddenly swooped underneath Lanne. The redhead yelped and grabbed onto the dragon's neck for dear life. Her eyes shone in fear, anger, and adrenaline, emotions that Evan enjoyed evoking from his companion despite the beating he bet would ensue…if she remembered. His first impression of her was that she was stoic, reserved, and…well, boring. Now the dragon master understood the reasoning for her introverted personality. No matter how mature she seemed, it was only because she never had the opportunity to experience the world outside the small continent of Edelstein. 'A sheltered kid maybe?' he mused in his head as he, along with the other passengers, came aboard the large boat. Evan tried not to laugh when he saw her settled on the boat now. Mir was lying down with a submissive and apologetic look in his eyes while Lanne had her arms crossed over her chest in a disapproving glare.

"Evan…"

"Sorry," the mage put up his hands in a calming (or was it surrendering?) gesture. "Wanna go inside and grab a spot before they're all taken? Trust me, you don't want to be outside." Her stiff posture relaxed when she was told that she didn't have to stay out on the bright deck the entire trip. Evan still wondered from time to time why she disliked staying out in the sun. When he stayed inside for long, he felt worn out and tired (at one point, his mother once joked that he was like a plant). When the boat lurched, he could almost physically feel all her muscles tense and relax as if preparing for a fight or flight response. 'This girl is so weird,' he thought as he sent her a reassuring grin. "It's only like this when we leave and arrive at the ports. Wanna sleep? I can wake you when we get there."

The redhead gave it some thought before shaking her head. "Maybe later. How long is the flight anyway?"

"A couple hours, depending and a couple…factors." He avoided her gaze for a second when he remembered the first scary experience of his continental travels. "I usually just chill until we get there." Lanne shrugged and took out her pocket watch to polish the surface. Evan preoccupied himself with checking Mir over for any scales that needed removing or claws that needed sharpening while avoiding the curious and shocked stares of the other passengers. Some tentatively asked if that was a real dragon while others outright avoided him out of fear.

Mir nudged his head against his master's knee and then gestured to the redhead, who was surprisingly sleeping soundly. Her head was craned down and to the side, which would no doubt result in her massaging her neck when she woke up. Evan grinned boyishly and sighed while shaking his head. He removed his robe, folded it to make a makeshift pillow for the sleeping Battle Mage, and carefully eased her down against the relatively soft pile of emergency sail material they were next to. Lanne mumbled something incoherently before settling down once more. Evan was pleasantly surprised. It hadn't been long, possibly a little more than two weeks since meeting each other. If he tried moving her in her sleep before, she woke up immediately and put up her shields in an instant. A part of him wondered what brought on the change.

"_Maybe she's used to your scent?"_ Mir offered his input. Evan raised a brow doubtfully.

"I don't think that's it…"

The dragon lifted his head and cocked his head to the side._ "Why not? She got used to your presence."_

The mage chuckled and scratched his partner behind the horn. "I guess but I don't think it has anything to do with scent, partner."

* * *

><p>The boat jerked and aroused Lanne from her surprisingly comfortable sleep. It was the screams of terror in the chaos of the cabin room that completely woke her up. Her eyes scanned the room searching for a bright red robe but she saw none. "Evan? Evan!" she called, the panic in her voice rising. A hand touched her shoulder and she nearly punched the owner before realizing it was the mage—void of his robe.<p>

"Lanne, I need you to stay here and try to keep everyone in the cabin!" His voice was even with the undertone of urgency. Lanne could hear Mir roaring threateningly just outside the cabin. The Battle Mage could feel the fear from the people in the cabin and the chaos from whatever was happening outside rubbing off on her in waves.

"Evan, what the hell is going on outside?"

He put a hand on her shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "I'll tell you later, but right now I need to be outside to help out. I need you to keep everyone inside the cabin calm and…well, _inside_." A pained shout echoed past the thick wood of the boat, eliciting screams and cries of terror and panic in the room. Evan gave Lanne a pleading look. "Lanne!"

She relented and nodded. "Alright. But whatever is out there better not kill you or so help me I will bring you back to kill you myself."

He laughed at her threat and ruffled the hair on her head for a moment. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." And like that he was gone from the room in a flash. Lanne collected herself and turned to the occupants of the room. They mainly consisted of young men, most likely starting adventurers, a few fairies and women with children.

The redhead took a deep breath in and whistled loudly. "Listen up!" When everyone quieted, she continued. "Okay, I need everyone to take a deep breath and listen to me. Women and children, come to this end. Men, get over here split up to guard the door and everyone else! No one is allowed to leave this room until the situation is under control!" When no one moved she glared and placed her hands on her hips. "That's an order!" At the authoritative tone, everyone sprung into action—not caring that some random stranger just ordered them around. She grabbed her things from her corner and only noticed now that Evan's robes were folded where she was before, crumpled and indented where a…head was? "That idiot…!"

* * *

><p>Evan slumped against the wood siding of the boat. Blood ran down his cheek from an earlier swipe from a balrog. Mir sent bolts of electricity near any creature that dared to approach his master while he was recovering. Another adventurer was going neck and neck with the crimson balrog with a well-maintained devil's sunrise in hand.<p>

"You alright?" the warrior called out. Evan held up a hand in affirmation and took a quick gulp of his elixir.

"_Master, that last attack might have cracked one of your ribs."_ Mir diagnosed when he noticed Evan's shallow breathing and favor of his left side. _"Should I get her? Surely Shax—"_

"No," he bit out and readied his wand for another lightning strike. "She's not ready to take these on."

"_And you're willing to die for a stranger you met weeks ago?"_ Mir challenged. Evan smiled grimly and finished off his enemy to go on to the next one.

"I'm a hero, Mir. Like it or not, self-sacrifice is going to be a regular thing for me." He teleported to the remaining warrior to back him up and sent protective buffers and shields. They paid him neither mind nor gratitude and focused on surviving.

The dragon snarled before letting loose an array of elemental attacks. _"You're also a human, master."_

Evan shook his head as he watched the dead, burning carcass of the crimson balrog fall out of the sky. While the other fighters collected the loot, the dragon master stared up at the sky with a wanton expression. "I'm not allowed to be _just _a human, Mir. Not anymore."

Eventually the doors of the cabin opened and people rushed out to any injured fighters around. Fairies that could cast healing spells while the humans offered any potions they had available. One fairy with magenta hair was about to come over but was gently moved away by a familiar head of red. Her green eyes were narrowed and her lips were turned into a frown. Evan furrowed his brows and began to part his lips in apology, but Lanne simply knelt down and opened her bag. She pulled out a green mint scented balm and a bottle of water. "Hold still for me." She ordered. Evan felt the authority in her voice and didn't question her despite the aching in his ribs that made him want to shy away from her. She dabbed one of the bandages in water and gently washed the cut on his face. Then, she took the green balm and applied generously to his injuries. The sensation was cool and Evan couldn't help but sigh in momentary bliss at the numbing that followed. After a minute Lanne pulled out a green concoction and pulled the stopper off with her teeth since her other hand was grabbing more bandaging from her bag. "Drink slowly. Can you manage to take your shirt off right now?" Evan gladly accepted the bottle of Honster they attained from NLC. The potion was already working wonders on his sore body but his aching ribs would definitely need some stronger stuff. They protested even the smallest of movements and he reluctantly shook his head. He definitely couldn't take his shirt off even if she helped him. The movement of the boat—especially now since he could sense they would be landing soon, were not helping at all. He moaned a reply and Lanne nodded in acknowledgement. She took one last item out of her bag: a small vial of blue liquid. "Here—it'll help with some of the pain."

Evan smiled weakly at her concern. She always was strict when it came to health. "Are you only going to spoil me when I look like crap?"

Lanne gently tipped the vial to his lips. "Only because Mir is going to take me for another joy ride if I don't." The dragon master tried not to laugh. After a few seconds the pain in his ribs gradually ebbed away, but with it came a heaviness in his eyes.

"This is…" he mumbled but sleep finally overtook him. Lanne topped the vial and set all her materials away. She sighed at the now sleeping boy and finally allowed Mir close to his master. The redhead could feel the boat shudder and rock violently, and she prayed that was only because they had finally made it to Orbis.

"Come on, Mir. Time to take your stubborn master somewhere to rest up."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I think my favorite line is when Evan is talking to Mir near the end. It's true. He was just a normal teen and then all of a sudden BAM! You gotta be a hero now! I feel for you boy... And Lanne is finally starting to really open up to Evan. But will cause more harm than good between them in the longrun? I wonder...

Sorry for the wait guys! I'm gonna be busy for a while again


	11. City in the Sky

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter 11: City in the Sky

I think it's about time Evan got a taste of what Lanne has experienced back home…don't you agree? Hehe. But even though I'm chuckling I miss my reviewers… Not only that but I'm going through hug withdrawal…

* * *

><p>Evan woke up moments before they had landed and luckily the medicine she had given him was still in effect. He was able to stand up with little to no problem and his breathing was deep and even. Despite the signs of health Lanne knew that this respite was temporary and the pain would come back full force eventually. The sooner they got to an inn to rest the better.<p>

As soon as she placed her legs on land she felt her knees grow weak as they wobbled uncertainly. Her vision swam and she had to grab onto a nearby column for support. Evan couldn't help but grin at her signs of motion sickness despite the help he _should_ be giving her. "You look a little green!"

"I'm fine," She managed to bite out and stubbornly refused his hand. Lanne hadn't noticed her nausea before. It was probably due to her caring for not only Evan but the other injured fighters as well. "I am not going to have fun on the ride back," she mumbled to herself. Mir was supporting Evan's body in case and wouldn't leave his masters side even if he was well. When they stepped off the platform, the three of them were met with the gorgeous view of the city of Orbis from above. The clouds surrounded the floating continent—making the city look like miles and miles of marshmallow pillows enclosed it.

"Wow, I forgot how thin the air was up here. I guess it's to be expected since Orbis is so high up, fairy magic or now, right Lanne?" Evan laughed but Lanne noticed that he cut it short. The redhead noticed that she did indeed have to breath deeper, but the shallow breaths the dragon master took were beginning to concern her. That only meant that pain medication was starting to wear off.

"Come on. We need to fix you up," she forced a small reassured smile. Despite her efforts, Evan had to admit that her smiles were still extremely hard to catch—even if he was paying close attention to her instead of swallowing groans of pain. Her lips barely curved and her eyes never held _full_ warmth or happiness. He appreciated her concerned gestures nonetheless and returned a weak smile of his own. Lanne helped Evan mount Mir to make the trip down the long flight of stairs faster. Her green eyes quickly scanned the buildings and shops for any sign of an inn but to no avail.

A body roughly collided with her shoulder causing her to wince. "Whoa!" Books and a pair of thick-rimmed glasses scattered on the floor, and Lanne quickly tried to help pick them up for their owner. "Pardon me, miss." She handed him his glasses first and he hurriedly placed them back on.

"Sor—" When their eyes met they shared the same level of shock. She's seen that mess of brown hair and black spectacles. He was one of the townspeople from Edelstein—a kindergarten aid alongside Elex. 'That's right… The townspeople were evacuated to Orbis!' she dreaded the thought of having to stay in this beautiful city any longer now.

The man recovered quickly and snatched the leather-bound books out of her hands without a word of gratitude. Instead, he sneered at her and hurried away in the opposite direction. Evan, who had stubbornly (She would even call it stupidly) dismounted the dragon, walked up next to her and asked what just happened. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Come on. I think I saw a sign down this street." She waved off his questions as per usual. Lanne never told him exactly how she was treated in Edelstein, and she intended to keep it that way.

While walking down the street Lanne continued to see familiar faces. With each pair of eyes, hers continuously aimed downward at the floor. Once more the sun felt hot on her face and neck. Her entire body felt so exposed. People stared at her long and hard before either running away or glaring at her harshly. Evan noticed the watching eyes with disdain and uncertainty. Upon seeing his troubled expression at she spoke to him softly. "Ignore them."

"I wonder why the people of Orbis are so tense. Did something happen before we got here?" Evan asked half rhetorically but Lanne ignored him. She unconsciously increased her pace towards the inn and left a confused dragon master in her wake.

* * *

><p>"Ouch! Be more gentle!"<p>

"Grin and bear it like you usually do," Lanne replied and tightened the bandages that bound his ribs in place. The doctor wouldn't be able to visit until tomorrow since his schedule was all filled up today. "We'll keep these bindings on for an hour and then take them back off. If you can handle the pain without them after that then you should be okay until tomorrow." Evan commented that she was enough of a doctor to take care of him but she simply stayed quiet. He furrowed his brows. She had been a lot more detached since they arrived in Orbis. Was she mad that she had to take care of him again? Did she think him unreliable?

"What's wrong?"

She lessened the pressure on the binding and adjusted its position slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You told me to ignore it, and now I'm done ignoring it. Tell me."

"You're nosy you know that?" Lanne spoke curtly and tied the binding securely. Then she handed him a bottle of white potion to help with the pain. "I can't give you honster this time. It's effective, but it shouldn't be taken too much in one day." The redhead grimaced at the amount of chemicals in the potion. She much preferred natural remedies.

"Lanne, don't avoid me." Evan furrowed his brows but took a swig anyway. The pain dulled slightly and his breathing was getting easier again.

Her green eyes narrowed and she got off his bed to retreat to hers near the wall. The inn was full and they were lucky to even get this one. It was moderately sized—10x15 with one bed against the wall and the other one a little over a foot away from it. The other half of the room was separated by a folding wooden divider and contained a brass tub, toilet, sink and mirror.

"I recognize a few people here," she answered vaguely and laid on the bed stomach down and her head on the pillow faced away from him.

"So why the stares?"

"How should I know?" she replied stoically. Evan laid down as well and sighed in defeat.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Go to sleep, Evan." She said into the pillow with finality in her tone. The dragon master grunted in rebellion but reluctantly conceded and snuffed the candle by the bedside.

* * *

><p><em>"What are you talking about? What do you mean, 'price'?" a brunette man shouted and slammed his hands on a thick wood table. He and his comrades—another man and woman, remained silent at his loud outburst. Only the crackle of the fire made any noise now and that only angered him more. "We can beat him! We can finally beat him together! But now you're saying you have to pay? What kind of shit is this?"<em>

"_Stop it. Your ranting isn't helping, Aster." The other male sighed and took a swig of ale from his canteen. Despite his placating intention his pained hazel eyes betrayed him. "We agreed that if it came down to this, we would respect her decision."_

_The woman fisted the red and gold fabric of her requierre and glanced at her golden staff that leaned against the stone near the burning hearth. The metal glowed from the flickering light cast from the fire. She fought hard to suppress the trembling in her voice and finally managed to speak. "I know this is selfish, but I'm going to face him alone."_

_Both men stood up from their seats as their chairs clattered loudly to the floor. Aster was the first to recover and leaned forward towards her, seeing as she sat opposite to him. "Are you mad? You saw what he did to Vahlia's forces! They were practically wiped out in one go!"_

_"And that's exactly why I need to do this alone. Zach, please… You understand why, right?" She turned to her hazel-eyed companion pleadingly._ "Please…"

Lanne's eyes opened and she sat up slowly. Beads of sweat trailed down her face and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. She exhaled slowly and turned to Evan, who was still sound asleep in bed with Mir at the foot of it. Dawn had not broken yet.

"I haven't had that kind of dream for a while…" she mumbled and massaged her temple. "I can't say I missed it." Lanne carefully stepped out of bed and made her way to the door when a voice made her pause. Evan started turning his head and squeezing his eyes in discomfort. 'Nightmare?' she thought and dared to sit on the edge of his head. His face was contorted in pain and sweat was beginning to break out on his forehead.

"I'm sorry…sorry…." He mumbled and started to turn his body. "I didn't know…! I didn't…" Lanne began to worry. Evan never had bad dreams. Or at least if he did they never were this bad. If this went on, he would stress his still healing ribs.

"Evan. Evan wake up!" she touched his shoulder but pulled back when she felt a small shock. Her hand was momentarily paralyzed and she could make out black lightning. It reminded her of the time when Grendel touched her and he was hurt by the contact. "What the?" The dragon master just kept tossing and turning. Lanne could hear Mir whining in his sleep as well. She took a deep breath and grabbed his shirt to shake him awake. Magic didn't shock her this time so she took advantage. "Evan!"

He gasped and his blue green eyes shot open. He instinctively shoved her hands away from him and he reached for his wand on the bedside table. Unfortunately the full force of his injured ribs hit him and he moaned in pain. "L-Lanne?"

Lanne sighed in relief and got off the bed to get a cool cloth for him. "You scared me there. Are you alright?"

Evan smiled weakly. "I've had better mornings. Thanks for helping me." He accepted the damp towel and wiped his sweaty face and neck. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No, I woke up on my own," She sat back down cross-legged on her own bed and faced him curiously. "Want to talk about it?"

"What? The nightmare?" he grinned sheepishly. "I forgot it." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion but nonetheless she shrugged and got back under the covers. Evan chuckled and retreated back under his covers as well. Despite the effort, his mind could not find the strength to push the nightmare away. A tune floated in the air—barely audible but just loud enough for his ears to pick up. It wasn't beautiful by any means. In fact, he had to admit that it was slightly off pitch despite not recognizing the melody. He turned to the general direction of the sound, which was Lanne's bed. Her back was turned to him. The song had stopped. When he turned away, the soft humming resumed. Evan grinned and mumbled thanks. The voice hesitated before continuing the tune a tad bit louder. He listened intently to the uncertain, off-tune melody before succumbing to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>The doctor arrived a few hours later with a large brown leather bag with metal clasps. He was surprised that his first patient of the morning was the great Freud's successor and got to work immediately. He gently poked and prodded Evan's sensitive ribs and nodded appreciatively at Lanne.<p>

"I'm impressed. You have quite the talent as an EMT. Have you had any training?" he smiled beneath his white beard and mustache. His eyes were kind and not at all judgmental. Lanne was a little skeptical at his praise considering practically everyone on Orbis now has an eye out for her. The doctor seemed to notice this as his smile fell a little. He turned to Evan. "I'm going to speak with your companion in private if that's fine with you, Mr. Rockwell. I just need to tell her how to properly attend to you." The dragon master felt nothing suspicious about this and took the opportunity to recover from the painful probing the doctor did on his injuries. Meanwhile Lanne and the doctor took a step outside the door and closed it for good measure. "I see you've noticed the state of the land here."

"Sorry. Looks like the refugees from Edelstein seem to have spread word about me." Lanne crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "Thank you for treating him."

"I hope you know I was quite serious about that talent, young lady." He wagged a finger at her and chuckled. The gesture reminded her of a grandfather giving a pep talk to their favorite grandchild. Then again, she only watched these exchanges from afar and could only speculate. Despite her original misgivings, she couldn't help but smile a bit from the rare touch of friendliness she encountered. The doctor seemed to remember where the conversation was supposed to start and took out a pad of paper. "Now, he'll need a few herbs to ease some of the pain. I recognize the scent of the numbing balm you use. I wouldn't have chosen any different, so good job. A q.i.d. of white potion with nependath honey and bitterroot should speed the process a good amount [1]. Here's a prescription. You can pick it up from the pharmacy tomorrow morning at around seven. There's a sickness going around so that's why it needs a day to prepare."

She accepted the blue slip of paper gratefully and bowed her head. "Thank you very much!"

The doctor grinned and clapped her shoulder gently. "You're very welcome, young lady. I recommend going directly to my assistant Marie. I choose my aids very carefully so you don't have to worry about her giving you a tough time with getting the medicine. Although, as much as I don't want to say this…" he gave her face a good study and rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "You should probably try to cover up your head. Or, if the young man can handle the pain for a bit longer, wait until night when no one is around. Most rumors I've heard rely on them spotting your hair."

Lanne frowned and reflexively touched the back of her neck. She flinched when she felt skin. Her body still wasn't used to the fact that her cherished red hair had been long not too long ago—just like how she assumed her mother to have had it once before. However, she understood his reasoning and nodded reluctantly. "Alright. I'll try to get a hood or something…"

"Well then, I must be off. It's been a pleasure meeting you, miss…" he trailed off and questioned her silently.

"Lanne Hunter," she shook his hand and walked him to the inn door. Upon returning to the room, Evan was frowning on the bed while looking through their supplies. Lanne furrowed her brows in response to his troubled expression. "What's wrong?"

The dragon master looked up at her in surprise. "Oh, there you are. Well… We're getting low on food now." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I guess I forgot to restock those…"

Her eye twitched, but instead of getting mad she sighed and considered her options.

Stay here and order room service.

'Sure if we want to get broke fast.' She thought as she pondered their shrinking meso bags.

Go out together to get food.

"_You really don't want him to heal his ribs, do you girl?"_ Shax piped. Lanne stiffened in surprise but recovered before Evan could notice.

'Would you stop doing that?'

"_Doing what?"_

'Coming out of no where!' she huffed in her thoughts. Lanne hated being surprised; especially with everything going on. The less surprises she encountered the better for her dwindling sanity. But the demon had a point… Evan couldn't stress his ribs out, and even if Mir helped him out of bed the mage would stubbornly walk around against the doctors orders.

"Looks like I got no choice," Lanne exhaled deeply and held her hand out to the dragon master, who stared at it in confusion. "Wallet."

"Lanne?"

"Do you want to starve or what?" she questioned harshly and he recoiled like a scolded dog.

Lanne shook her head in slight guilt but couldn't help her bitter mood. She honestly did not want to go out even if it meant going without food for a day or two. Not just because she still felt sick from the ride either. With Evan injured he needed the nutrition. If what the doctor said were true, then roaming an unfamiliar city like Orbis would be more dangerous than Kerning City. Lanne recognized a lot of the people that stared at her that morning from Edelstein. She exhaled loudly, stepped out the door, and scoffed bitterly. It's not like she wasn't used to this kind of treatment…

* * *

><p>"Get out of here! We don't serve your kind here!" fruit was thrown at her and she tried to catch at least one of everything in her basket. Lanne didn't have anything to cover her head and when she tried to buy one a Edelstein resident pointed her out. It was just as she predicted. The fairy shop owners were wary of her presence and the human ones were told of her reputation back in Edelstein. The attack on the mining town had only made hostility worse, even.<p>

She stared long and hard into the nearly empty basket and frowned. "Looks like we'll have to order room service to do the shopping for us…" suddenly her head flared with pain and she dropped the wicker basket. The bright fruits and bread tumbled out as she dropped to her knees. When she felt the back of her head her hand came back tainted with blood. Beside where she knelt was an equally colored rock. It surprised her since no one had actually tried physically harming her to this extent because of her reputation.

Behind her stood her attacker. He looked a few years younger than her. Tears of hatred and sadness streamed down his young face. "You're the one the newcomers from Edelstein call Lilith, right?" That name. She hadn't heard it in a long time. Or maybe time has passed quickly because the people she surrounded herself with people that compared her hair to fresh ripe apples instead of ominous crimson blood. The people she interacted with knew nothing of the misfortune that befell those that came close to her…knew nothing of the lost lives whose fault fell on her small shoulders.

Her head pounded but Lanne stood back up and looked at him with fearless green eyes. "And if I was?"

The boy bristled from her response and clenched his fist. "Do you recall seeing a small girl before the second wave arrived? Pink hair and blue eyes?" a look of recognition flashed across Lanne's face for a moment before she nodded slowly. "You just left her mother there to die. Do you know that she hasn't spoken a word ever since a Wild Hunter brought her to the boats? Do you know how much she cries at night? How many times she looks around searching for her mom? Why? Why didn't you save mom?" he cried as more tears flowed. More and more citizens came out to see what was going on. The gossip Lanne remembered from her childhood blasted in voices tens of times louder than before. Others joined in the verbal assault after surrounding her and cutting off her escape.

"That's her, huh? How shameless."

"You monster!"

"I heard she used the man that took her in as a child. Pretty nasty if you ask me…"

"Really? But isn't she traveling with the Dragon Master now? If that's the case…"

Lanne's eyes widened and she parted her lips in an angry snarl. "Leave him out of this!" She let out a sharp yelp when ice-cold water was thrown at her. Her hands flew to her arms to keep warm while others laughed. When they prepared another, this time with boiling water, she was surprised to see a red blanket fall over her just in time. The cloth was soaked and hot, but she was anything but scalded now.

"What are you doing?" a strong voice bellowed over the others as Lanne almost did a double take. Although the cloth impaired her sight, she recognized the tenor of his voice and the scent of the blanket, which was actually a robe.

"…Evan?" she lifted the hem of the robe and saw him glaring at her attackers with hard blue-green eyes. He turned towards her while taking in her shivering form and blood that stained her collar. She noticed that his eyes were hard and cold, and she knew that the shiver that ran down her spine wasn't only from the water. The dragon master helped her hobble to the inn while ignoring the displeased and confused murmurs of the people.

* * *

><p>"Sorry…" she mumbled quietly as she sunk down into the warm waters of the tub. Evan was lying on one of the beds on the other side of the divider since the tub was in the same room. "I dropped the food. I'll go shopping again tomorrow."<p>

Evan sat up abruptly and threw a balled up piece of parchment in her direction. It bounced harmlessly off the wall next to her but it did its job. Lanne turned to him (Careful not to get up) and raised a brow.

"Should I get it now?"

"How are you not bothered?" he asked. His voice trembled with barely restrained anger. She was surprised that he managed to move so easily before, let alone shout with injured ribs. "You're acting like it doesn't faze you!"

"_How do you do it? Like it doesn't hurt you at all?" _

Alecia's words resounded in her again, and she closed her eyes to drown out the nightmares that always came with it. A cliff. A sunset. A scream.

"It doesn't." she replied in a tone that implied that he was the crazy one for thinking otherwise. "I'm used to it. Well, I guess I was caught a little off guard since it hasn't happened in a while." She grabbed the towel on the side and gestured for him to turn away. As he did, she stepped out and wrapped the warm fabric around herself. After changing back into dry clothes she heard Mir whine nearby. Lanne walked away from the dividing screen and gently touched a trembling shoulder. "Don't tell me you're crying. I told you that it was nothing." All of a sudden he spun around and hugged her. His face buried itself into her neck, and his arms snaked around her back. "Evan?"

"Sorry…"

Lanne was at a loss as to what she should do in this situation. In the back of her memories, she remembered that once Belle had a bad day and hugged her to feel better. What could possible make Evan feel sad to the point that he needed a hug? Wasn't it hurting him? Awkwardly, she pat his back and he pulled away slowly. He was smiling weakly at her and she couldn't help but return one as well. His hand reached for hers as he pat it reassuringly.

"Hey, there's something I wanna show you. Are you feeling up for it?"

"Well, it's not like I'll be getting any sleep tonight anyway." She gestured to the bandaged around her head and he frowned worriedly.

"Does it still hurt?"

Lanne let the corner of her lips curve upwards. "A little, but nothing a little white potion and a few days can't handle. So, what did you want to show me?"

"You'll see."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** [1] q.i.d. means four times a day. So he needs to take his medicine that many times. I was gonna check up if nependath is right but I'm so sleepy….meh…..

I wasn't going to end it there, but I think it'll make the next chapter easier to open up lol. Sorry guys. But hey, it meets my word quota! I was surprised that I messed up yet another name in the game, but since no one noticed it I'll just fix it from now on and not point it out, haha. By the way…

If anyone ever injured their ribs to the extent where you need to get a check up can you tell me how it felt? The only pain experiences (Other than sickness symptoms) I know are breaking fingers, arthritis in the wrists/hands, dislocating shoulders, loose ligament pain in the knees, and bruising. I'm guessing with ribs here, lol. I'm assuming it gets difficult to breathe and moving too much is simply slow torture! Sorry Evan!

REVIEW PLEASE!

**Trivial Trivia: (Not really…)**

In the original drafting of chapter 10 and 11, Evan didn't get injured and only Lanne was. Somehow it ended up like this… Forgive me for torturing you, Evan!


	12. Lilith

**Teach me How to See**

Chapter 12: Lilith

Here's another chapter that's a bit heavy in the beginning but it's going to get better. Time to get back to the journey! If I don't then this story will go on too long for me to finish it lol. I'm trying to do a wrap up chapter for Orbis that'll lead into the next area and, hopefully, the next book that Lanne and Evan get. When I was at 3k words I just wanted to upload it, but I didn't like it. So…it ended up becoming 7k for this chapter.

Sorry this update took so long! College is a bitch… For all those going into the sciences: don't double up in bio and chem your first semester unless you understand them perfectly.

* * *

><p>Lanne's brow rose when he led her outside the inn. It twitched when he called over Mir and mounted him (Already breaking the doctors orders). She then turned to make her way back inside when he offered his hand to her.<p>

"No, Evan. For one: you should be in bed resting. Two: I am not getting on Mir again!" She hissed. The dragon pair flew over to her and Evan gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Here is when she made mistakes of her own. One: she stopped walking. Two: she looked at Evan in the eyes. Three: she couldn't tear her eyes away from the face he was making. It was like a cross between a kicked puppy and a kid that was asking their parent for a toy on Christmas. Lanne groaned and slapped her forehead in exasperation. "Are you really eighteen?"

Evan figured that was the closest thing he had to a yes when she didn't pull away afterwards. He guided her to the saddle and she was pleased to see that at least there was a seat buckle for her to use. Lanne noticed Evan's were hardly ever used but decided not to question him any further. The faster he was done showing her whatever, the faster—

Her body unintentionally tensed up when her feet were a good height off the ground and she dug her hands into the leather sides of the saddle. Evan chuckled but tactfully said nothing as he gently nudged Mir forward by tapping him once gently with his heel. The dragon beat his wings and took to the purple skies. The sun was just about to set and Lanne managed to forget that they were hundreds of feet in the air (Not including the fact that Orbis was already in the sky).

"I thought you liked sunrise," she couldn't help but comment in both wonder and just a touch of smugness. Evan grinned as they both enjoyed watching another day end.

"I wanted to see what the big fuss was about. I guess it's not that bad. I give it a seven out of ten," Evan shrugged and then pointed downward to a long tower whose narrow coned roof stood directly where the sun would rise. "That's the Magic Library of Orbis. Let's check that out tomorrow alright?"

"Can you manage it?" She did want to continue on with the journey as soon as possible, but she knew from Resistance experience that injuries to the ribs were no walk in the park bruised or broken. "Because if you start whining I'm going to put you to sleep again." Lanne looked down unintentionally and then leaned further into the saddle. She could feel her heart racing against her chest. Was it from adrenaline? Fear? Maybe a mix of the two. But for some odd reason, a small part of her started to like flying…just a bit.

"You can always hang on to me you know," Evan offered when he finally decided to comment on her stiff posture and fluctuating emotions. Lanne refused seeing as how he wasn't even strapped into the damned thing. Maybe he was simply messing with her and he was using magic to stay seated? "Suit yourself. Hey Mir, wanna do a loop?"

Lanne pressed a fist into his upper back. "Do that and I swear you'll wish you only had your ribs to worry about."

He laughed nervously at her threat and held on tighter to Mir's reins. "Alright, I give! I surrender! Please spare me!" Lanne chuckled and pulled back her fist. She was finally beginning to get comfortable until Evan spoke again. And they were the words she dreaded having to answer. "Can you tell me now?"

About what? How everyone stared at her with wary eyes? Why they acted in open hostility towards her? Maybe even her nonchalance about the entire thing? She debated waving the entire subject off as usual but…despite her gut feeling not to answer him he deserved a few answers by now. It was the least she could do for him. "What do you want to know?"

Evan tried to hide his surprise but either way he was very pleased with her response. Luckily he managed to rein in his excitement. "First off… What happened back there at the market? You're not the type to pick fights." Lanne looked down into her lap and tightened her grip on the saddle.

"Some of the people there recognized me from Edelstein. I wasn't exactly on…good terms with anyone back there." She answered carefully. "Word must have spread so now some of the people in Orbis believe it, too, about Lilith." Lanne quickly shut her mouth, already regretting letting the name slip from her lips. She didn't want Evan to ever learn about that, or worse, what memories were linked with it. She prayed in those short moments that he wouldn't ask.

But, like most things in her life, it never went the way she planned.

"Lilith? What's that? I've been hearing that in the city for a while now."

"Lilith is… Well, it's something most of my town used to call me," she reluctantly explained with unease. Again, she wanted to dodge the subject. Lie, or stay silent. Maybe even jump off Mir and hope to the goddess that a cloud would catch her. Well, he already knew how much hatred was attached to the name... That takes out at least some explanation. "Back when I was younger I used to hang out with a few kids by the mines and in the city. There was no Lilith, no hatred—just a couple kids playing hide-and-seek. After a while each one of them got into an…accident." Lanne's eyes became half-lidded as the memories of her 'friends' came to mind. The ones that started to avoid and shun her as time went on. "And somehow, the name Lilith came around. Even I don't know who started it, but the more it happened the more the name stuck."

"But those accidents weren't your fault. They couldn't be!"

Lanne scoffed at his encouraging tone. Since his back was facing her she didn't see his hurt expression, nor did she notice his barest of flinches. "Of course not. I'm not the damsel in distress that thinks every accident was my fault or mopes because no one likes me." The dragon master grimaced at her almost robotic automatic reply. More images, more vivid than before, came to mind again. Crumbling earth. Bloodied fingers. Desperate, tearful eyes. She shook her head of the resurfacing memories and sighed before continuing her answer just above a whisper. "I just gave up correcting them..."

"That's the same as accepting it, Lanne." Evan said gently. The redhead said nothing more. He wanted to push a little further since she gave him the opportunity, but the defensive waves he was getting from her aura made him hesitate. Maybe she didn't trust him enough yet after all? Even after everything they've been through so far? Evan felt miffed by her lack of faith in him and gripped the reins tighter. "Come on, partner. Time to land."

* * *

><p>The next day between them was the norm, with Evan getting up at the break of dawn and Lanne getting up a few hours after. Evan insisted that she call the doctor over last night to check her injury and she finally gave in to the combined efforts of the dragon master and Mir. Thanks to that, Lanne was in the clear to sleep.<p>

After that though, no matter how many times Lanne told him to wake her to check on his injuries, he simply let her sleep and saw to his medicine doses himself, much to her surprise. Normally he raced to the chance of being coddled or treated by her with the occasional childish whine when she seemed exasperated by it. When she checked his bindings after waking up she was pleased to see that he was healing well despite how much he loved moving around. Perhaps the spirit pact he held with Mir accelerated his healing? As Lanne pondered these things, Evan left to his own devices. Instead of being eager to go around town with her like he did before, he decided to make an appointment at the magic library. Evan was out the door before she could yell "hold it!"

In the empty inn room, Lanne sighed and made her way to the desk that she fashioned into her work table. Her trusty mortar had been calling her for while so she figured she could get to work on some more medicine. Belle and Claudine had taught her how to make simple remedies, such as the numbing balm and the sleep syrup she gave Evan before. One day she longed to be able to make more potent medicine—perhaps the magical elixir potion that was so hard to come by and even harder to make. She couldn't remember when she started mixing as a child. What she did remember were vague slivers of memory in the dark recesses of her childhood: one of her first potions, shattered glass, and her apologizing over and over and over again.

By the time she was done reminiscing and trying to recover those locked memories, she had finished creating more numbing balm and fever powder. Lanne whistled in surprise and carefully put the medicine in jars. After making a quick mental note to get more containers for medicine and also writing a quick scrawl for Evan, she laid back on the bed. The dark wood ceiling of the inn greeted her and, very slowly, lulled her into a dreamless nap.

About half an hour later, the door to the inn room reopened and revealed a sighing Dragon master that rolled his shoulders with a wince. Mir was no where behind him, instead preferring the fresh air free from the one-sided tension he held for the redhead. The mage hadn't noticed the napping girl at first and went straight for the water basin to wash his face. After a while of silence, he did a half turn and saw her somewhat curled up on the bed with a peaceful expression on her normally stoic face. On the desk near her bed was a mess of her mortar and leftover herbs, but in the middle of all the chaos were neat rows of medicine that he didn't quite see there before he left.

In fact, there was one small vial of light blue liquid on his bedside table with a note in quickly written handwriting: "If you have trouble sleeping, take this. It's sleep syrup combined with your meds."

"You can be very confusing, y'know that?" he murmured quietly as he made his way over to her bed. He softly laughed when some of her bangs made their way past her lips in a messy fashion. How could this girl ever be considered a monster? Why was she unlucky enough to have her entire home burned down? Why did she have to go on such a frightening adventure? How…how was she handling everything _so god damned well_?

It shocked him that he was aggravated so much by her behavior and he couldn't pinpoint when these feelings began. Evan remembered his first few nights of his journey. The pitch blackness brought upon him a deep fear that only Mir understood. The lonely quiet filled him with an undeniable pressure as he was left to ponder why _he_ of all people found dragon's egg in the forest and attained the heavy destiny that followed it? Even now he still had nightmares where he came home and his family was slaughtered by the Black Wings, or his hometown was razed to the ground because he couldn't save them in time. Was Lanne not fazed at all by the weight her quest demanded?

"_Quite the interesting fellow you are."_ Shax piped in and Evan made a strangled sound of shock as he stepped back. The watch that normally dangled on a chain at her hip began to glow, as per usual when the demon decided to talk. Lanne made a grumbling noise and a faint "shut up" before falling back to sleep.

"Stop doing that!"

"_Doing what?"_ Evan could feel the laughter coming through the demon's accented voice. _"The speaking up? I'll have you know I studied up on the laws of this time period. I am sure your people allow this humorous thing called 'freedom of speech' do you not?"_

"That was before we knew inanimate objects could talk," he countered with a crossing of his arms.

"_Then how do you explain those freakish mailboxes?"_

"There's a magical spell on them so that doesn't count."

"_Please, boy. I am an all powerful demon with a binding contract with a human. Shouldn't that count as magical?"_

The dragon master dug his face in his hands and fell back on his bed. "Just… Has she ever told you that you're infuriating?"

If the demon stork could smile, Evan would bet 5 billion mesos that he was doing that right now. _"Every time. Now tell me, boy. What's with the animosity you feel towards this girl? And don't worry. She can't hear us. I made sure of that."_

The brunette hesitated. He couldn't believe the demon stork was attempting to play psychiatrist with him, but maybe he'd be able to help understand the redhead a little more. "She's so…confusing. I try not to, but I can look into people's souls to an extent. It took a while to be able to do, but it works. I can't tell if someone is lying, but I can tell if their soul is clean, its color and its shape. Like, if a woman's color is clear and unclouded then I know she hasn't killed anyone and that she's untainted. The color just tells her personality to an extent and its shape…" he paused and tried to find the right words. "If I had to describe it, it's like the soul takes on the shape of its destiny. Take mine for example: mine has a vague shape of dragon wings on it. Seeing as how I'm the dragon master, well, that speaks for itself."

"_So, I'm going to assume the girl is unreadable and it's still bothering you."_

"The first time I met her there was a sort of…ominous feel about her. It kind of reminded me of yours now that I think about it… But she had that even before she made a contract with you."

"_That is quite peculiar. A demon's mana signature is a tricky thing. Not one is the same as another. But I know what you mean, boy. I noticed the same when she summoned me and even more so after the contract. Something is blocking off her _true_ mana signature. Even I cannot cleanse without bringing harm to her soul.'_ Shax commented as Evan nodded. _'I don't suppose she herself is aware of it. I wouldn't delve too far into such a dark topic, boy. You may regret it later on."_

"But—"

"_Is her soul the thing that truly confuses you?"_ Shax cut him off. _"If it is then you are a bigger fool than I thought. The girl grew up in such an environment that opposes yours. You cannot force her to see the world as you do in a few months time. A lifetime cannot be washed clean in such a short time. Take it from an old demon like myself, before you start regretting it."_

"…how old are you?" Evan couldn't help but give the demon a sly yet apologetic grin. The dragon master still wasn't satisfied and was even a bit suspicious at Shax's way of avoiding the question.

The demon scoffed. _"Oh shut it, you prat. And while you're at it wake her up. You two have some studying to do."_

* * *

><p>"Welcome to the Magical Library." A golden haired fairy bowed her head in respect to both Lanne and Evan. When she stood straight again she gave them both a professional smile. "My name is Irelia. Is there anything in particular that you are searching for?"<p>

"Yes. Do you have any books that involve King Solomon? Or demonology for that matter?" Lanne asked after stifling a yawn. Her nap had done wonders for her mood, but the sand had not yet left her eyes. The fairy placed a thoughtful finger on her chin for a few moments.

"Let me check the database." Irelia turned to a giant book behind her and placed her hand on the worn pages. The book shone with a brilliant golden light and suddenly flipped somewhere near the beginning of the giant text. "I believe so. Unfortunately you may need high level clearance to access this information."

"Uh, can the fact I'm the Dragon Master help any?" Evan offered hopefully. The fairy shook her head.

"I'm afraid not, Master Rockwell. If you can somehow provide proof that you were allowed access then I can specify the exact floor and escort you."

"Well that's too damn bad…" he muttered darkly. Lanne questioned his sour mood ever since their sunset flight. She was used to his enthusiasm regardless of the obstacle and quite honestly she missed being able to question where he got his energy from. In the end, she assumed it must have contributed to his injuries. The medicine must still be trying to kick in.

Lanne frowned. "Master Grendel the Wise sent us and a source from Kerning City led us here. I'm afraid Master Grendel didn't give us physical proof…" The golden-haired fairy brightened while still keeping her straight professional look and walked in front of the green-eyed battle mage and into her personal space. "What?"

"Please hold still." She placed two fingers on Lanne's forehead and closed her eyes. Lanne dared not move despite her discomfort. However after a few seconds the fairy released her and smiled broadly. "I have received evidence that Master Grendel did indeed send you here. Please, come this way." The fairy turned around and led them to a stone platform. The stone shifted and slowly descended down. The ground shuddered and slowed, revealing a passageway barred by shining wards and magical formulas. "This floor contains our collection of demonology. You wished to see this as well, correct?"

"Yes…" Lanne replied. She was reluctant to search this area first, but it was important to know just exactly what they were going to deal with.

Evan grinned and clapped her shoulder. It felt a little awkward and forced, but if Lanne noticed she didn't make a comment. "Mir and I got this floor covered. Go on ahead to the lower floors, alright?"

"Thanks." She sighed a little in relief. The fairy touched the shining barrier with her right hand. A bright symbol appeared on the back of her palm and the barrier dissipated. Evan stepped off the stone platform and entered the room just before the shining barrier appeared once more. The dragon master was taken aback a little and stared into the barrier in confusion.

"If you wish to get picked up please press that button by the entranceway. I shall come down to pick you up since this area must be sealed off at all times. I apologize if this causes you any inconvenience." The fairy explained and Evan nodded.

"Remember. If you need me just use Shax to talk to Mir," Evan told Lanne just as her head was about to be swallowed up by the ground. Once all was quiet the dragon master turned to the seemingly endless army of dusty, cobweb infested bookcases and cracked his knuckles. "Now…where to start first?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Elsewhere...<strong>_

When constant drops of freezing water landed on her nose, Belle began to feel the first stabbing chills of pain of consciousness again. Her clothes, torn at the sleeves and part of her mid drift, were wet with cold water and blood, both old and fresh. Her skin burned from reopened cuts along her small wrists that were shackled to the wall. Her shoulders trembled with strain and she realized she must have fallen unconscious in a rather uncomfortable position. Her upper body was slumped forward, resulting in her arms being pulled back in her sleep. She untucked her sore legs from underneath her and sighed in momentary relief when blood rushed back to the uncirculated areas.

When her eyes finally began to focus she took in her surroundings. The room was poorly lit by flickering torches and she was caged in by thick black bars extending from what seemed to be a cave ceiling to the floor. "They moved me again? Damn…" she had just started on loosening the pin that connected her chains to the wall in her last prison cell. After giving her current ones an experimental tug, she surmised she wouldn't be escaping any time soon. She sighed and pressed the back of her head against the cool damp cavern walls. Belle missed the feeling of the sun on her face. She couldn't remember the last time she felt any semblance of warmth aside from the sticky heat from drawn blood.

"So you woke up again. Nice to know you survived another night." A voice came from the other side of the room. He came inside the cell dressed in a clean black formal suit with a pure white rose in his front pocket. She looked up and gave him a defiant smirk despite her near broken state.

"No thanks to you, shit head." Belle hissed vehemently and pulled at the chains that bound her. She winced when the cold metal bit into her damaged skin and pressed back against the wall. The man chuckled and walked over to her. He knelt down to her level and cupped her chin with remarkable tenderness. Belle narrowed her eyes even more at the gesture. "Don't start with the act. How many more lives are you going to ruin that way, Surge?" The platinum blonde smiled politely and released his hold on her chin. Without warning he roughly grabbed her strawberry blonde hair and forced her to crane her head up closer to his face. She whimpered when her raw bloodied wrists were once again pulled against the rough metal cuffs.

"However many lives it takes for my goals to be realized," he answered with the same gentlemanly grin on his tanned features. That same grin transformed into something sinister and Belle fought the urge to shudder in fear. Instead she chuckled defiantly and stared straight into his dark eyes.

"That sounds a lot like treason towards your dear Lord Glasya, doesn't it?" She challenged and managed to tilt her head ever so slightly despite the death grip he had on her hair. "Then again, you've always had a hard time keeping sides, you _traitor_!" His hand tightened its hold on her hair but this time she refused to make a sound. Surge scowled at her fearless expression but quickly recovered. There was always more than one way to skin a cat. And he already had much practice with that…

"I could do it so easily you know…" he began cryptically. When she furrowed her brows in defensive confusion he raised his other hand to her eye-level and made her look at the shimmering opal ring on his finger. "I could make you do anything I wanted to… Bite your tongue. Slit your throat. Even hunt down that little girl you were all trying so hard to protect. If I recall correctly she's your beloved niece, isn't she?" Belle's eyes widened and her tough persona shattered in an instant. "She doesn't know that, does she? Wouldn't that be so interesting to watch? Seeing the last thing that reminds you of your dear, dear sister dying before your eyes? You never told her that either, did you? That you were there _personally_ when her lovely mother died." All of Belle's retorts and resistance died down. Even when he released her hair she simply slumped down and hung her head low. At that point, with her state of utter defeat, Surge's polite smile returned and he left the room without bothering to even lock the cell.

She wouldn't be getting back up any time soon anyway.

* * *

><p>"Where is it… The fairy said it was somewhere here—ah! There it is!" Evan breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed the dusty book off its shelf. He wiped the dust off the cover and set it down on his lap. For a moment he looked side to side in fear that his red-haired companion would check up on him after she was done. Mir lifted his head off the ground and let out a low growl.<p>

"_She's still levels below us, master." _The dragon answered and yawned.

Evan sighed in relief and opened the book. The pages were old and yellowed with age. He assumed the fairies had very little love for this book seeing as most of the others were restored and kept safe through magic. This one felt like it had been neglected for decades, maybe a century perhaps. Evan momentarily questioned how he knew the feel of an age old book, but he quickly shook the curiosity away. He was once asked if any of Freud's knowledge passed on to him upon creating the spirit pact. His empty reply elicited disappointment from askers, but at times he honestly did think he was living through a part of someone else's life. Every now and then he'd let slip Afrien's name escape his lips instead of Mir's, or he'd understand words in books he'd never seen before. When all these happened he shook away his indecisiveness. He wanted to stay as Evan, not Freud. He was Evan and _only_ Evan.

He blinked and focused on the task at hand. Evan's eyes quickly sifted through pages of demon lore and fairytales. Her saw Bael, Valefor, Astaroth, and…Shax? Evan leaned in to carefully read the demon's information.

_Shax, Great Marquis of Hell and commander of 30 lesser demons. Contains the power to take away the vision and hearing of any victim he or his contractor chooses. Although his words and actions prove to be faithful do not let him deceive you, for he is a liar of the greatest height. To counteract his silver tongue Shax must enter a magic triangle. Only then will truth spill from his lips without hesitation. _

_This Marquis is normally depicted as a great stork whose voice is hoarse and rough outside a magic seal, however it shall turn beautiful and alluring once inside. _

"I didn't think he was such a big shot, although the lying bit was pretty helpful," Evan mused to himself. He continued searching through books until a very curious word caught his eye: Lilith. "Why not?"

_Queen of demons, Lilith had once been the same as the virginal Adam—born of earthly clay. Although created to be the wife of Adam, both refused to be subservient to the other. Upon the knowledge that he would not give in Lilith fled the Garden of Eden—turning her back on the God that created her and gave her life. Adam pleaded with God and told of her disappearance from Paradise. Upon his creation's request, God sent three angels to capture and demand her return._

_Lilith, upon being found, rebelled at the order and placed a curse should they attempt to take her by force. She would curse newborn babes and younglings, as well as trick honest men to break their codes of chastity and loyalty. The only thing that would prevent her wrath upon those unborn and newborn would be the angelic charm of the three angels, and if she was prevented her kill then she would turn against her own children. Either way, a life of death follows those that affiliate themselves with her._

Evan hurriedly closed the book and let out a shuddering breath. "Lanne…" Evan murmured with a heavy frown on his face.

"_Lilith is… Well, it's something most of my town used to call me."_

_"I heard she used the man that took her in as a child. Pretty nasty if you ask me…"_

"_I used to hang out with a few kids by the mines and in the city. After a while each one of them got into an…accident."_

_"You monster!"_

"_I just gave up correcting them…"_

"_You cannot force her to see the world as you do in a few months time."_

Now it made sense… Her words. Her mannerisms. He wondered just what that girl could have done to attain that alias, but he doubted it was entirely her fault. Many people preferred to put the blame on someone else instead of accepting it themselves. Then again, anyone growing up around such ideology would give up too, regardless of what other people told them to think. Evan was still upset that she shot down almost every single attempt to cheer her up or get her to smile, but…

After making the spirit pact Evan was used to being able to read people's hearts to learn how to lift their spirits, but Lanne was still an enigma to him. The urge to know more surged within him. It reminded him of the first time he saw her—unconscious, injured and hidden away. His first thought about her wasn't to trust or not to trust, as became the routine for him ever since the incident between him and the Black Wings. It was, in fact, a question: what color were her eyes beneath those closed lids? It seemed like a ridiculous thing to ponder, but the need to know was increased by tenfold now.

He recalled the childlike wonder on her face when she saw Ellinia for the first time. Evan wanted to hear her laugh out loud. He wanted to see, not a smirk or whisper of a smile, but a grin ear to ear. He wanted her to say she was alright and believe it wholeheartedly.

The question was "why?"

Mir grumbled as he felt his master's thoughts. The dragon still did not trust the redhead as much as Evan did. Her mana signature was still dark and it brought out a strange instinct within him: the instinct to _run_. But, Mir could not help but accept a part of her since she helped his master recover. Not only that, but she had a way with food—no! The dragon shook his head and refused to let simple pleasure affect how he felt about the mysterious mana signature. Shaking his thoughts away as if shaking water from his scales, Mir spoke through their connection and told Evan that the redhead in mention was making her way up.

Evan hurriedly placed it back on its shelf. No use letting her know to what extent he matched up Lilith's story with Lanne's. His ribs groaned in protest but he managed a small chuckle. "Looks like things keep getting stranger and stranger, eh, partner?"

The dragon rolled its eyes. _"You're one to talk, master. All you think about are women lately."_

"H-Hey! I'm a healthy 18-year old guy! I can't help it! Ouch, my ribs!"

"Evan?" He didn't even hear the stone platform make its way back up. He turned around and saw Lanne with a curious raised brow. "You alright? You can't help what?"

"N-Nothing!" he covered up and noticed an old leather-bound book in her hands. "You found it?"

She offered the precious text from her hands to his. The words pressed into the book have been removed over time, but Evan could feel a faint imprint of a magic seal on the cover and spine. But was this book the real deal? As if reading his concern Lanne spoke up. "Shax checked the formula on the cover and traced any noticeable mana signatures of whoever touched the book. It's the real thing."

"Whoever touched the book? How does that narrow down if it's real?" Evan asked suspiciously, already recalling that Shax was extremely fluent at lying in the text. He pondered if the demon had actually said anything truthful about anything so far. Lanne frowned, obviously bothered by his tone but said nothing on that matter.

"Certain people can leave traces on objects unconsciously. For example, since you've used your wand for so long it probably keeps a trace of your mana signature," she explained. "If I had to describe it simply… It's kind of like how a dog sniffs out a target?"

"_Oh, it's very touching to be compared to a dog…"_ Shax drawled. The redhead flicked the face of her watch, eliciting another complaint from the demon. _"If that is how you are going to treat me then say goodbye to that training session I promised you later, girl."_

"Say goodbye to that polishing then," Lanne countered with an arched brow. The demon watch said nothing more and she let the corners of her lips raise ever so slightly in triumph. The dragon master frowned at this as he returned to his earlier thought process.

"Hey, how come you don't…" Evan started but then cut himself short. Lanne looked at him curiously but Evan shook his head and sighed. "It's nothing… C'mon. We can trade info over some food. I'm starving!"

* * *

><p>By the time the travelers made their way out of the library, the afternoon was quickly falling to the evening. Even in the skies above Orbis, where it looked like the sun would shine all day, blue was turning to pink and white was turning into orange. It would be a couple more hours before sunset, though. Lanne noticed that ever since their talk in the air, Evan had been acting stranger as of late. He was still as energetic as ever, but he got agitated easier and didn't meet her eyes as much. She was used to such motions from others, but from the dragon master she couldn't help but feel a sort of discomfort and estrangement. It reminded her of when she used to get into fights with Belle in her younger years. The two of them would argue childishly and then act as if nothing happened. At the same time, they wouldn't talk or acknowledge one another until either her, Belle, or Claudine would change that.<p>

This was the first time it ever happened between her and a boy. What was even more confusing is that she couldn't remember if she and Evan even had an argument in the first place.

"Evan?" Lanne began hesitantly. When he didn't reply and continued chatting happily with Mir Lanne sighed. They were currently in the market picking up some supplies before heading on their way. Passerby's still gave her stares, but they were soon extinguished by either the dragon master or the dragon itself (to Lanne's surprise). The mishap that happened yesterday must have spread throughout Orbis already surprisingly enough considering how large the city in the sky was. Now that she could shop in relative peace Lanne surveyed the fruits and potions of the evening market carefully. She learned over the years that most shops would lower their prices at the end of the day due to the long fatigue of haggling or the want to get more merchandise off their hands.

If she was careful enough Lanne could snag some good food that could last for a while or even healing items such as potions or herbs. Thanks to Belle and Claudine, the redhead was moderately skilled with making her own potions if she had enough time and materials. Evan held the basket with the heavier items, while Lanne handled the spare cloth materials (you never know when you need to mend clothes) and light medicinal and culinary items. There were very few problems until Lanne noticed one of the shop keepers for clothing was the boy with glasses from yesterday. Luckily he hadn't noticed her yet, but his shop was the only one on the market that had hoods still in stock, ironically enough.

Some god up above must hate her.

"Evan?" she called again when he still didn't respond. When Lanne finally resorted to tugging on his sleeve he turned. "Can you do me a favor?"

"You're asking me a favor?" he asked with a hint of…something in his drawl. It wasn't quite sarcasm, but it wasn't entirely kindly either. Lanne's green eyes narrowed and her lips thinned in frustration. Enough was enough. She would get to the bottom of this and if she had to practice using her magic on him to get through to him then she would.

"What's your problem? You've been acting strange ever since we've arrived at Orbis."

"_I'm_ the one acting weird?" he muttered quietly but loud enough for her to hear. Lanne bit her tongue and she quickly turned around. She would have to go on without a hood. She wasn't going to lose any more pride by begging him. It was hard enough to muster up the request in the first place.

Since she turned too quickly, Lanne failed to notice a small figure walking behind her until it was too late. She bumped into the person, causing them to stumble and fall due to their tiny frame. At the same time, Lanne tried catching her balance by grabbing hold of a nearby flower stand.

Unfortunately, it wasn't as sturdy as she thought and two pots came crashing down near her. The small figure, who turned out to be a girl, trembled and curled up on instinct to protect herself from the falling pots. Luckily none fell on her, although some dirt and fallen white petals fell upon her pink tresses. Lanne worriedly called the girl to look at her so that she could see if she got hurt and gasped when she saw her face. Her bright sky blue eyes looked up into her green ones in shocked recognition. She parted her small lips but no sound came out. It was the very same girl that she tore away from her mother that died in the rubble of Edelstein.

"Are you alright?" Lanne knelt down and started to check her for any scrapes that she may have gotten or dirt that could stain her pretty beige dress. The girl just stared at her and nodded slowly. Her eyes were trembling, but Lanne couldn't tell if it was from fear or from adrenaline. The one thing she was able to tell was a surprised light of recognition in those blue orbs. "I'm so sorry…"

Evan came upon the scene and tried calming the fuming shopkeeper down with some coin, but more and more people gathered towards the noise. The man Lanne had tried to avoid also came curiously and paled when he saw the pinkette on the floor. "Cait!" The brunette man rushed over to the little girl's side (shoving Lanne to the side in the process) and held her shoulder. "Are you okay? Where are you hurt?" The girl, Cait, nodded her head again and robotically. When he was assured of her state of health the man turned to Lanne with searing hatred in his eyes. "You just won't give up, will you? First her mother and now my cousin?"

"What are you talking about?"

The man clicked his tongue and picked the pinkette girl in his arms. "The attack in Edelstein. You left her mother to die. I know—I was there. I saw you just start to leave her and go towards the people that destroyed the city until a wild hunter came and saved her!" he turned to the small girl in his arms. "She hasn't spoken a single word since then… I bet you were the one that orchestrated the attack in the first place! You murderer!"

Lanne took a couple steps back and at last she snapped back at the people that have antagonized her for years. Her boiling mood refused to allow her to sit down and take their insults any longer. At her hip, Shax began to stir and she willed herself not to reach for him. "That's preposterous! How could I have?" And yet their murmurs began to grow in volume once more—drowning her out completely.

"I knew it! I knew it was Lilith!"

"Give me back my son you monster!"

Evan broke through the crowd and attempted to calm everyone down, but their shouts overpowered his and even Mir. No one was going to stop a riot from breaking out in the marketplace. Lanne looked around desperately for a way out of the angry mob, but there was no such opening available. Even worse, the people were closing in on her. Despite her predicament she couldn't help but laugh bitterly on the inside. The short-lived time without hatred or spite, the time without Lilith, made her realize that she will never drop the title as the sinner of the garden. No snake tricked her to eat the forbidden fruit like Eve was. Lilith will forever be a betrayer from the Garden of Eden. She was branded from the start.

Wait…Garden?

"ENOUGH!"

The crowd hushed at once at the voice that boomed over them. Slowly, the crowd began to part in one area and through it a strong and domineering figure appeared that Lanne didn't quite recognize. Evan, who finally managed to push through, gaped and fought the overwhelming urge to rub his eyes.

"Athena Pierce?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I'm so sorry I haven't updated and that this chapter was very lacking. It's just that I had no idea how to continue from Orbis… I had a notebook with this info but I didn't bring it with me to college, so this chapter had TONS of rewriting. I think it had the most rewriting i've ever done (sans WYLM but that's because my writing sucked balls back when I first wrote it, haha). Now I have the almighty notebook now so I have more planned. I apologize to my lovely readers!

And yes, I am taking into account how you all feel about Evan being paired up. I do indeed have a plan for Evan, so you all will just have to keep guessing his romantic fate haha.


	13. The Private Study

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter 13: The Private Study

Thank you for the reviews everyone! They really cheer me up! I will fight through this as hard as I can! So, please, continue to lend me your strength.

Also I've been noticing I've had inconsistencies with my text. Like with thoughts and telepathy. I'm sorry about that! And I can't really edit the past chapters since fanfiction deletes them after a while. Please forgive me for those inconsistencies but I really can't fix them, haha. I will try to correct this in future updates.

I wanted more action in this but unfortunately it's all talking…

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><p>The crowd settled down into a wary hush as the beautiful green-eyed elf parted the sea of people and stood before the two travelers with a cool green stare. She was garbed in a brown tunic with gold trimmings and belt as well as a pale green skirt with two slits near each thigh to reveal long slender legs. A blue longbow was strung and looped on her back and a quiver of arrows was nestled comfortably on her back. At least two dozen lives sat in that intricately designed leather case.<p>

"Evan. I see you're well. And Mir! You've grown since the last time I saw you! Your horns have been growing beautifully I see." Athena finally allowed a smile. It was an elegant curve across her smooth face and pale complexion. Mir growled affectionately and flew around the archer twice before settling back down. "Ah! You must be Miss Hunter. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." She lightly bowed her head in greeting and Lanne blinked, still in mild shock from her appearance.

Luckily, Evan offered her a respite and stepped forward. "Thanks for the save, but… Forgive me for asking, but why are you here in Orbis?"

"I'll gladly answer any questions you have but first…" she made a sideways glare to the awkward crowd and sent a silent message them to beat it. If that wasn't enough, the elf made a motion towards her bow and the people quickly scattered with a hurried walk. All that remained was the pinkette girl and her guardian. Athena walked up to the little girl and went down on one knee before taking off her gloves. "Hello, little one. I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but it looks like you want to say something."

"Forgive us, Miss Pierce." The boy spoke up and put a hand on the pinkette's tiny shoulder. "She's lost her voice ever since Edelstein was attacked." His eyes flitted angrily to Lanne for a second, but that was all he needed to gain a warning look from both Evan and Athena.

Lanne felt meek for a rare moment and remained silent. Her anger from before had dissipated the moment she was reminded that, yes, she _did_ almost leave the girl to fend for herself back in that burning town. It may not have been under her full control, but she placed the girl in danger with no regard to how she felt. Not only that, but the terrifying experience caused her to lose her voice. All at once, Lanne felt like a little girl again: apologetic and cowardly.

Athena took note of Lanne's body posture and then turned her attention back to the little pinkette. "I see… Your name was Cait, right? Can you do me a favor?" She nodded hesitantly. "Give me your hand. I'll cast a magic spell on you."

Cait slowly gave the archer her small hand. With a gentle look, she traced a symbol on her skin. A line of light followed her finger's path and stayed there. "Now, swallow it." Wordlessly, Cait brought her hand to her lips and kept it there, as if she was relishing in a sweet sip of spring water. Her blue eyes were closed and a wave of calm spread from her head to her toes. Athena grinned and stood back up. "Do you feel better?" The girl reopened her eyes and nodded. Her face was now filled with glee that stunned her cousin. She hadn't had that look on her face in months. Athena gently prodded her towards Lanne and put a hand on her head. The girl seemed to understand her request and took a deep breath in.

"Thank you!"

Lanne's green eyes widened and she became faintly aware of her quick intake of breath. The small pinkette girl stared at her with unwavering blue eyes and a tiny shy smile. She was _thanking_ her! _Her_! Lilith! The murderer of children! The outcast of the garden! The redhead remained in stunned silence.

Evan allowed himself a soft chuckle and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. It was hard to stay mad at her when he just saw another side to the redhead. "I think there's something you're supposed to say when someone thanks you, Lanne."

"R-Right," she coughed and awkwardly structured her reply. After a short moment, she scratched her head nervously and spoke. "You're welcome..." Her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, a color very uncharacteristic of the redhead. Evan couldn't help but stare.

Cait's brunette cousin knelt down to her level and checked her all over. "Are you okay? Did she do anything to you? Please take no offence Miss Pierce…" he apologized quickly but the elf waved it off. "Cait, she took you away from your mom!"

She shook her head and protested against her cousin's words. "She saved me, Konnor!"

"You haven't taken her to a clinical mage, have you?" Athena spoke up. He shook his head.

"No. We only took her to the normal doctors. After losing everything in Edelstein, we have barely enough money to get by. It's hardly enough for a mage to take a look at her. The regular doctors all said the same thing: that she was experiencing trauma from the ordeal. Many people still are."

She slowly nodded her head and then drew the symbol again on her own palm to show him. "I learned this trick from a friend in Mu Lung. It's not very well known here, but it's an ancient method of dealing with nerves or speaking problems. It also has a cleansing effect when it comes to curses, to an extent." Athena added extra emphasis to the last part.

Evan frowned deeply and his hand twitched towards his belt where his wand was holstered. "Who in their right mind would resort to cursing a child?" Mir growled in response but it, too, held an undercurrent of sadness.

"Ars Noctis…" Lanne murmured the answer and placed a thoughtful finger to her chin. "Could they have done it so that she couldn't tell anyone about me? In a sense, she's one of the last people that saw me in Edelstein before I managed to escape." 'Aside from Belle at least… Where is she? Is she alright?' Lanne bit her bottom lip in worry.

"There's that possibility," Athena agreed. "But we can talk about that later. Now you two," she regarded Cait and Konnor. "I want you to head home right away. Also, please try to refrain from continuing this negative talk about Miss Hunter. She is a living being like anyone else in this world and has rights, as well as feelings. I hope I won't have to address this issue another time."

"Yes, we understand." Konnor bowed his head slightly to the elf and took Cait's hand in his to quickly guide her back home. The pinkette girl turned as she walked and waved back to them before turning the corner. Both Evan and Lanne let out a sigh of relief as Athena chuckled.

"You two have been quite busy since you've left for Orbis," she smiled and then turned back to Lanne. "Oh, I'm sorry. I seem to have forgotten my manners! We haven't been properly introduced. I am Athena Pierce. I'm the archery job master that watches over Henesy."

"I've heard," Lanne nodded while gesturing to Evan. "Evan told me a little about you during our journey. You've been keeping the town safe ever since you've arrived there." Although she wasn't quite sure how long ago that was. Lanne had heard tales of the long life spans of elves and their uncanny accuracy with a bow. This was the first time she had ever seen one though.

"Yes, and I've been unfortunately busy as of late. Come with me. We can continue this conversation in the upper levels of the Magic Library."

* * *

><p>"Ah, we meet again Miss Hunter. Master Evan." Irelia greeted the two with a polite bow and click of her thin glasses. When the third figure came up behind them the fairy almost jumped and her wings began to flutter faster. "Miss Athena Pierce! It has been a while hasn't it?"<p>

"Irelia, I've told you that you can call me Athena." The elf laughed. "Is the private study available at the moment?"

The fairy flipped through a large leather bound book and nodded her head. "Yes, it is. The person that previously reserved it for today cancelled just last night."

"We're in luck. We'll be borrowing that room for a little while. If anyone asks to reserve the room while we are there, please tell us right away." Athena placed a small gold token on the desk and Irelia took it before bowing her head again. The elf started up the stairs and gestured to a large elevator of glass. All of them, even Mir, would be able to comfortably fit inside. "You can leave your shopping baskets with Irelia. Now, after you."

The dragon duo was too happy to resist and hurried inside. Lanne followed in a more controlled fashion, but she wondered what made the private study so important that you needed to make a reservation, pay a token, and had to go on a _glass elevator_ to get there. In all honesty it reminded her of an old movie she saw as a child. A child was invited to a pastry factory along with other children and their guardians. In the end, only one child remained and he was given a gift: a ride in a glass elevator. Whether or not the elevator shattered when it crashed through the ceiling of the factory she could not remember.

The elevator had kept going upwards and Lanne wondered just how tall the library was. As the levels increased, she kept seeing different floors of books, all lit from huge windows at the walls. It was vastly different from the lower floors only lit with torches and lamps. The tower even didn't seem this tall from the outside. Athena noticed her confusion.

"It's a little magic trick the fairies do. It's more for aesthetics really. A giant tower of books is more an El Nath structure than here in Orbis. Speaking of which…" at last the elevator stopped at a floor much different than the rest. It was a large circular room with giant glass windows that spanned the entire wall. In the middle was a large cherry wood table with comfortable ornate chairs surrounding it. Up above, a giant chandelier shimmered with the evening light coming from the sunset outside. As they exited the elevator the door shut and a barrier similar to the ones down below appeared. "Don't be alarmed. The thing about this room is it's completely cut off from the world. In other words, it is literally 'reserved' to only the ones inside. No one can eavesdrop."

"If that's the case, then I'm going to assume what you need of us won't be pretty." Lanne noted flatly and crossed her arms over her chest. Athena made her way across the room and sat down on one of the chairs at the table.

"Brighton Markham told us you were one to get to the point of matters. His information is spot on." Lanne's eyes widened and she clenched her fists. The elf sighed and motioned for them to sit down. They were going to be here for a while. Evan sat down first and finally Lanne followed. Mir settled for taking in the retreating sunlight in his wings by the large windows. Athena cleared her throat and pulled out a suitcase from underneath the table. "Your guardians in Edelstein have been giving us information on many things so that we would be able to help you when the time came. They knew the attack that destroyed your hometown was inevitable, so they came to The Council for help. Out of the five of us, only Grendel and I were willing to prepare for these coming events. The others were skeptical and only wished to focus on our primary enemy: the Black Mage."

"But why would anyone want to destroy Edelstein of all places? The Black Wings were already occupied there and the only thing they were interested in was the mines. If they only wanted Lanne, did they really have to burn _everything_ down?" Evan spoke up. Lanne thought about that too. Even if it was to sniff out her location, there was no guarantee than she would have survived the carnage. After all, the Ars Noctis soldiers didn't recognize who or what she was. Not only that, but things have been too quiet as of late.

But Athena shook her head at Evan's comment. "Ars Noctis is a different problem all together if you're comparing them to the Black Wings. Although both sides are coming together to revive their lord, Ars Noctis has been around far longer and has much more experience. I am sure they were aware that their target was marked. They most likely checked bodies before killing them. Grendel told me about the black tattoo that appeared on the back of your palm, Miss Hunter."

Lanne felt her left hand, which was covered with white bandages, twitch. It only appeared when Ars Noctis began their attack on Edelstein. Wait no…wasn't it when she made eye contact with that cat-eyed man? What was his name… Noah?

"_They appeared before the time of the great heroes, I believe."_ Shax spoke up in Lanne's head. After a few seconds he added. _"Can you change me into a staff, girl? There are some things that just cannot be relayed."_ The redhead nodded and pulled the golden watch off her belt. Athena noted with subtle interest when the gold in her hands emitted a faint purple light before the material stretched and shaped itself into a long wooden staff. Her elven blood allowed her to read the flow of mana easier than most, so what she saw intrigued her. Normally magicians channeled their mana into their weapons, which allowed them to focus their skills.

Her staff on the other hand seemed to have a mana flow of its own. It mingled with Lanne's and they worked upon each other. Doubtless control of two different mana sources would be difficult, but if mastered… Athena shuddered at what she could be capable of in the future. Did all those who made a blood pact this potentially dangerous?

"_You've noticed, eh?" _Shax said as he felt her eyes on him, or more so his system. She smiled.

"So you are Shax. I've heard about you before." Athena's poker face was impenetrable as she avoided answering his simple accusation. The sphere at the head of the staff shone brighter for a moment, revealing a black and white stork spreading its wings within the black and white sphere before it disappeared again.

"_We are bound to our contractors, but even more so to the scriptures used to summon us. Ars Noctis has been using this system for years, silently gaining power through their contracts. Many leaders of the Ars Noctis have strived for different goals, but most have tried to achieve one thing: the greatest taboo anyone could commit." _

Athena's lips thinned and she murmured something quietly in response. Unfortunately the others in the room could not hear it despite the silence in the room.

The demon paused and tried to collect its bearings. It had been a while since he's revisited the past seeing as how he was reluctant to do so at all. _"I don't know much about which demons have already made a contract with. I know that one of them is Orobas. He made a pact with Brighton Markham. Do you remember?" _Shax turned the spotlight back on Lanne.

"Vaguely… Now that I think about it, I think I saw him do the pact during the ritual in Ellinia."

"_Yes. Sometimes there is a sort of resonance during the process of sealing a contract with a demon. Some people claim they are seeing someone else make a pact, although some details are fuzzy. But this usually only happens if someone close to you performs the pact."_ The demon continued. A random, _dangerous_ thought came to her. At times she questioned 'their' role in the war before her birth but…

"Shax," The staff made a small sound of question. "Is it possible to trace back to contractors in the past?"

"…_Yes,"_ Shax answered hesitantly. Evan blinked in surprise. It was the first time he had heard the demon sound like that. He was normally snarky and filled with dry humor. Even though he seemed so serious and solemn now, hesitant was a change. The Shax right now was reluctant and disappointed that she even tried to ask that. _"But it is not a wise or easy thing to do. The price would be too great for you to pay."_

"Tell me how."

"_I refuse."_

"Shax!"

"_I said _I refuse_!" _The voice from the staff bellowed through the room. It was the first time they had ever heard the demon angry since that time Lanne made the pact.

Athena raised a hand to quell the fighting. "Alright. Why don't we get things out of the way first? Miss Hunter, why do you want to know if you could trace the identities of past contractors? Is there someone you suspect could have something to do with Ars Noctis?"

Her green eyes narrowed and she stared down into her lap. She clutched the white fabric on her pants with tight fists before taking a shaky breath. "It's about the war that ended at around the time of my birth. There are people that haven't been accounted for in the records and I _need_ to find them."

"Your parents… Am I right?" She answered quietly and Lanne's green eyes narrowed in suspicion at the elf. Athena sighed and closed her eyes. "Even if they did make a pact, what would you do? Back then the ones that made the pact were often the ones that tried to kill Brighton and the others. That fact still remains, although you are the only known exception."

"That's fine. I just have to know… All my life I've grown up hearing that they were traitors in the war. I know Brighton and the others told me to think nothing of it, but it just keeps bothering me. I remember what Grendel said; that my mother made a pact. Was that what killed her? Or did something happen after? And where is my father? Why have I found more questions than answers so far!?" Lanne slammed her fist on the table. The bandage on her left hand began to feel loose and the skin underneath felt like it was on fire. The redhead winced and unwrapped the cloth surrounding it. The black mark was dark as ever, except the skin beneath it was an angry red of inflammation.

"_Girl, you have to calm down! If you don't then I won't be able to concentrate on holding the other demon back—"_

"Shax, just shut up!" she snapped and gripped her hand tightly. Her eyes shut tightly. Athena made a move to get up with a hand glowing with orange light but something, or more like someone, stopped her. Evan quietly got out of his seat and walked over to her chair. His hand hesitated at her shoulder before he leaned forward and pulled her in for an awkward hug from behind while she was still seated. Her entire body tensed up. Evan just hugged her tighter in reply. "Evan, let go of me!"

"I won't." he said into the curve of her neck. She felt his breath over her skin and wondered when, if ever, there was a time when anyone else was as close to her as Evan was now. "Not until you've calmed down." It was different from that time when he hugged her in their room at the inn. This one exuded warmth and peace as opposed to sadness and apology. Lanne could feel his mana flowing into her like a cooling balm on her skin heated skin. If she focused enough she could faintly see a faint outline of pale green dragon wings enveloping and calming her. When Athena made no indication of it she assumed it was because only the two of them were able to see the shape and color of souls. Her breathing was slowly regulating upon his indirect order. At last she put a hand on one of his arms still around her to show that she was alright now. Reluctantly he let her slip out of his arms.

"…I have to know. Even if they're both dead I have to at least know how."

"And if they're alive?" he asked. Ever the optimist, she mused.

"…"

Evan fell silent as well for a while after her lack of response. When he collected his thoughts he looked up to Athena with stern eyes. "There's something that has been bothering me for a while. Maybe you can answer me, if not as a friend then as a council member." This appealed to the elf's attention as she leaned forward and laced her fingers together.

"I'm listening."

"If this war made such an impact on Edelstein and ended almost 2 decades ago, then why haven't I ever heard about it? I mean sure, I've been a farmhand for practically all my life but during my travels I've never heard of it until I met and traveled with Lanne. Even if Grendel said most of the records were lost, I'm assuming this war has been going on for a while if what Shax said before was true." Both Lanne and Athena looked at him curiously and he took a deep breath to reiterate what the demon stork had said. "'A lifetime cannot be washed clean in such a short time'. Even though we were talking about a completely different topic at the time the fact still remains that there's no way a war could be wiped out of history in such a short time, regardless of how small the group that experienced it."

"_Smart lad, you are,"_ Shax said and sighed. _"_The War itself has been going on for centuries. Due to our nature, not many have discovered that demons were at the center of it all. After all, the only way you can tell a contract has been made is by the pact mark or if they use specific pact magic. Not only that, but Ars Noctis was not always violent. They settled for more quiet terms of domination, such as causing natural disasters or gaining power through politics. No one realized the war until Ars Noctis stationed itself in Edelstein, who somehow discovered their true colors. They knew Edelstein was mostly independent from the other areas so they thought they could eradicate the rebellion there first so that their existence would not spread. Hence, the knowledge of the War is more or less isolated to Edelstein." __Shax explained.

It made sense in its own complicated little way. In fact, it was very similar to how the Black Wings operated in Edelstein. In her time around Victoria, she hardly saw Black Wings operatives, but only heard of their exploits. In Edelstein, they were out in the open and acted against any sign of rebellion (Hence was why the Resistance was so secretive now).

He then decided to regard Lanne's request._ "I should tell you just why I can't do as you wish. You see, to be able to accurately pinpoint a person's identity during pact magic takes an enormous toll on the body. Just seeing Markham's was straining it and that was only one brief moment in time. In order for your desires to be sated, you would have to search all the years Ars Noctis was stationed in Edelstein. That's at least 30 years of your _life_ as payment. Not to mention you may not even find them if a _proper_ pact hadn't been made."_

"Proper pact?" She asked.

"_Some pacts are forced onto others. Quite often the price they pay is extraordinary and never end well. Then again, these blood pacts were never meant to be amicable like those involved in spirit pacts."_ The demon continued to explain. The dragon and his master perked up at the mention. _"For example. Evan, you did not have to sacrifice anything in exchange for bonding with Mir, am I correct?"_

"No. None that I can think of."

"_Exactly. Blood pacts like ours require payment. Often times it is given over time. Almost like paying off a debt slowly. Other pacts receive their payment in full at the beginning or end of the agreement."_

"So that's how it works…" Lanne nodded thoughtfully but then blinked in another question. "Wait…what was our agreement now that I think about it? My payment was my hair wasn't it?"

"_Your payment is particularly the _bond_ your hair represented,"_ The demon corrected. _"But, needless to say, there is more to our agreement. I am not inclined to let you know what else you must pay until you manage to hone your powers more, girl. The danger with pacts with demons is that the price can change at any time. As 'kind' as I am, I pose no exception to the rule."_

Lanne felt something out of place. Actually she felt uneasy about the subject ever since she was offered to make a blood pact. Instinct told her to flee. Her mind willed her into blissful ignorance. But she _had_ to know. "What will happen if I can't pay?"

All of a sudden the air in the room felt cold and stale. Evan and Lanne felt a chill run down their spine. Athena merely narrowed her eyes and made a move to her blue long bow by her side. The black and white sphere floating in the crook of the head of the Archanon staff flashed with a purple light. Lanne felt the mark on her hand burn once more. Her body, as if remembering the comfort Evan provided, automatically sought him and as her hand feebly sought out his. The pain lessened when she grabbed two fingers and then completely disappeared when he maneuvered his hand to grasp hers more properly.

The purple disappeared from the staff and soon the light from the sphere itself went dark. Without willing it, Lanne watched Shax revert back into a gold pocket watch as he clattered to the floor. Her hand slid out of Evan's and she knelt down to pick the demon up.

"_Sorry… I'm a bit tired."_

"Shax," she murmured and closed her eyes to talk to him through their connection. 'You have to tell me. What is taking up so much of your energy? I've noticed how you haven't been speaking up lately, as if you're preoccupied doing something else. Is it…Glasya?' The demon made no response. Lanne sighed and put the watch back in her pocket. "He ran outta juice."

Athena relaxed a bit. "I see… Well, I will get to another crucial point now. It is actually the main reason why I reserved this room. The Council has a request for you." The two travelers settled back in their seats and listened with open ears. "We have reason to believe there are movements by the Ars Noctis or the Black Wings have made a move in El Nath. We are unable to tell."

"Unable to tell? What do you mean?" asked Evan.

"We've been trying to contact El Nath about any information it may have about Ars Noctis via carrier pigeon, but we still get no reply. When we tried sending messengers, there still is nothing. Everyone we sent down never came back." She momentarily closed her eyes. When they reopened, there was a solemn light in those green irises. "And so, I am asking you both for help. Travel to El Nath and figure out what's going on. If possible bring back proof of who is meddling down there. Grendel and I will believe you, but the Dark Lord and Dances with Balrog are harder to convince."

"Ars Noctis? If they're there then there might be another book there." Lanne crossed her arms. "But if it's the Black Wings…"

"Then we'll beat them back. No problem." Evan said lowly. The redhead turned to him in mild surprise. His tone sounded…dangerous. She had only heard this less than a handful of times and linked it to whenever the Black Wings were mentioned. Just what had happened for him to harbor such negative emotions towards them? It was understandable to be angry for what they've done, but Evan seemed to be taking it personally. The two of them exchanged a silent glance and nodded in agreement.

"Alright then. We accept. If we find anything out of the ordinary we'll send a carrier pigeon in case we can't make it out. I'm sure there will be some back in El Nath."

Athena gave them a relieved smile. In that one moment of relaxation, Athena looked much younger—almost her age. How much had her eyes experienced and how much was she still prepared to see?

How much was Lanne herself willing to see?

"Be safe. Oh! Before I forget. I have a few gifts for you both." She opened a suitcase. First she pulled out two new leather satchel with gold buckles. "These bags have been enchanted using a combination of Elven magic and Grendel's. It will carry a lot more than what it looks like. It will come in handy for when you continue collecting those books, since I imagine your bags are becoming bulky. If it gets hard to find an item in there, just focus hard on it and it'll appear in your hand. Think of it like…" She furrowed her brows as she thought of the right word to say. "In my language, it is known as _irma haeannon_. I believe a rough translation of that to human terms is space-time magic." Her voice accentuation changed like an arrow against a strong side-wind at the unfamiliar term and then righted itself back. Was that a hint of the lost Elven language? Lanne wanted to hear more of the beautiful sounds but reluctantly admitted that time was of the essence. "There should also be some clothes there suited for the weather in Orbis, Miss Hunter. I had to guess your measurements from the intel we've received, but they should fit."

Lanne tried to ignore the fact that she was being watched by The Council. "Thank you," the two travelers said in unison as they accepted each gift.

"Also, someone asked me to give this to you. He thinks it will prove to be very useful." Athena took out a book bound with strong nependath fibers and reinforced with spider silk woven in-between. "It's from Dr. Grigori, the one that took a look at Evan. It has information on plants and herbs that the doctor has personally written notes on, and their medicinal uses. There's also room to add on as well. With luck, you can hone that light touch, Miss Pharmacist!" The elf winked confidently at the redhead, who blushed red from the comment.

"Surely I'm not that good…"

Evan made a protesting start. "What? Lanne c'mon! You've been helping Mir and I ever since we began our journey together! You need to have more confidence in your skills! Even the doctor was impressed on your patch up job on the boat!" Her face reddened even more in embarrassment. She definitely wasn't used to such heavy praise; especially in front of figures like _Athena Pierce._

"As much as I would like to hold this conversation, I'm afraid our time in this room is coming to a close. Here is my last gift to you…" the elf offered Evan a pale blue scroll tied with a leather strap. "This is a scroll that will take you directly back to Orbis. To be more specific, it will bring you here, the private study. I have set it so that you merely have to focus your mana on it and it should activate."

"Will it still work if I use it?" Lanne asked. Athena regretfully shook her head.

"I'm afraid not. It's a scroll we're actually experimenting with in order to prevent someone from stealing the scroll and gaining immediate entry back to Orbis from El Nath. I would have given you both a scroll that would react to your mana, but unfortunately I have not been exposed to your signature until now. It takes quite a bit of time to enchant these as well since the method was only recently discovered. I apologize."

Lanne waved her hands in front of her quickly and sputtered. "N-No! It's fine! You've done so much for us already! Really thank you!"

Evan grinned slyly and nudged her sides. "You get awfully flustered when people compliment or apologize to you. It's kinda cute!" He got the back of her fist to the face in reply.

Athena laughed and gestured back to the glass elevator doors that had reopened. "Shall we?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **-sigh- I wanted to put El Nath here but I suppose that couldn't happen. I blame Athena for taking up their time, XD. Oh well. So, to apologize I have a nice deleted scene for you guys. I'm planning more fluff time between Lanne and Evan next chapter (Actually I think it's going to be one of the fluffiest chapters between the two)! And now I will cry because my finals are in a few days.

**Deleted Scene: It's Completely Healthy!**

The elf escorted them to entrance of the tower that would lead down into the snowy land of El Nath. With much regret, she was unable to join because she had to return to her duties in Henesy.

"I apologize. I really do," she repeated with a disappointed frown. "But I am confident that you two will be able to handle it. This will be a covert mission and you fly under no flags or colors at the moment…" she paused and then found it in herself to laugh a bit, "Looks like Kyrin is rubbing off on me."

"Kyrin?"

"Oh right. You haven't met her yet, have you? She can be found in Nautilus on Victoria Island. After all this is over perhaps I can ask her to give you both a nice warm reward. How about a trip to the beach?"

"Beach?" Lanne perked up at the idea. She couldn't remember ever going to a beach before, mainly since the closest thing she had to a large body of water in Edelstein was a lake. "That sounds nice…"

Evan grinned at how she was hiding how excited she really was. But then he thought about it. When did he enjoy the beach? He's been to Nautilus but just to look around. Mir brought about too much attention at the time. Now he could care less about the stares. He turned to Lanne and his mind began to race.

White…

His eyes widened and he quickly turned his back to the women that continued to talk about the beach. Why? Why did he imagine Lanne in a black and white swimsuit? He could see it so vividly in his mind. It would be a white halter top with black trimmings and tied off with a bow. The bottom would be a white skirt with black ribbon around the waist, revealing long and slender bare legs...

"Evan?"

"GAH!" He jumped and turned away from Lanna, who had moved her face into his field of vision. His face was burning red, almost like his robes. In fact, he was glad he was wearing loose pants… Mir laughed.

"_Healthy 18-year old, huh, master? I see what you mean."_

"Shut up, Mir…"


	14. Alecia

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter 14: Alecia

Here is the long awaited fluff chapter that many have been waiting for! But, I must readdress… This is _not_, in any way shape or form, solid proof that I will pair Evan and Lanne together in the end. But I have to admit… They would be pretty cute.

By the way, while finishing this up at night I saw a giant spider in my room. It disappeared before I could kill it, so I've literally been writing this in fear. I'm usually okay around spiders…unless they're huge or in large quantities. In this case it's the former. It's still somewhere in my room…

* * *

><p><em>You don't show it to the audience,<em>

_What's under the mask_

_Show me the true face_

_That you were hiding_

_When you're hurt, be in pain_

_When things get hard, scream_

_There's nothing shameful about it_

-_Pierrot, Senka_

* * *

><p>"I-It's freezing…" Lanne muttered through chattering teeth. She pulled the wool and fur lined cloak closer around her body and breathed warm air into her gloved hands. Beside her Evan chuckled, although his cheeks were equally as pink from the biting cold coming in from the open windows of the tower.<p>

"Well, it's not like your clothes were designed for this kind of weather, Lanne." He commented and she shot him an irritated glare. Luckily she had thick leggings to slip on under her uneven pants and a long sleeve to wear under her vest, however no winter in Edelstein could have prepared her for the bitter cold of El Nath. Lanne couldn't understand how Evan was managing it. He wore no additional clothing alongside his loose robes save for swapping his shorts for pants and the wool cloaks Athena had provided for the two of them. It had been about two hours since they began their descent and Lanne was sorely tempted to take Evan's usual place in asking 'are we there yet?'

The monsters in general were relatively easy and good practice for Lanne's new skills as a Battle Mage. The spherical sentinels were slow and usually clumped together; hence they were perfect dummies to hone her Dark Chain skill. It took a while since, at first, she pushed them away instead of toward her. After some taunting from Shax and encouragement from Evan, Lanne was able to summon forth a 2 meter or so chain to pull opponents into the range of her 'blow' skills as Shax put it. At first she had only been able to combo three hits in succession by herself. Shax continued to say that he'd be able to aid in her movements and there was no need to do it by herself, but in that she was adamant. Lanne didn't mind leaving teleportation to him, but she refused to complete rely on him to attack.

Evan, unlike Shax, urged her on to improve herself and supported her decision. He took great care to buff her with magic and refilled her canteen discreetly with his water since she was going through it quickly. He used the piles of snow blowing in from outside to refill his anyway. The only difference was that his would be uncomfortably cold, but it was a small price to pay. Her growing expressions of confidence made it worth it. Lanne stared suspiciously at him when she noticed her canteen wasn't getting any lighter, but he whistled innocently while they took their occasional breaks. This tower was quite old and its stair cases were broken in many places. Travelers set up ropes and ladders to make the journey up and down, but that didn't make it any easier.

Luckily Mir was there to speed up the process parts of the way, but the icy cold made Mir slower and weaker. She didn't want to burden the dragon with her weight despite both Evan and his dragon saying she was light. Besides, her relationship with the dragon had gotten better to the point where Mir was talking to her telepathically now like he did with Evan unlike before. Gaining the dragon's trust was something Lanne didn't want to take for granted.

When they would take their breaks, Evan would occasionally scout ahead by teleporting while Mir stood guard of Lanne. She questioned just what he could do without Mir, but he simply shrugged sheepishly and said he was good at 'running away' as he put it. He usually took a couple minutes and came back, but this time he was gone for quite a while. Lanne stared at her pocket watch every now and then, and when almost twenty minutes went by she stood up to go search for him.

"_Oh wait,"_ Mir said and raised his head in attention. _"He's coming back now."_

Two minutes later he returned. His hood was flipped back and his hair was starting to get icy patches were snow had melted and froze again. His breath was unsteady, as if he was running, but a broad smile was on his face.

"The exit is close! We can finally leave this damned tower!"

The redhead sighed in relief before walking up to him and comically pulled him into a headlock before grinding her knuckles into his scalp. "You idiot! What took you so long?" Despite being taller than her Lanne was used to taking down larger targets. It was the first time she had given someone a noogie though now that she thought about it.

"Owwww, be gentle!" he whined and attempted to pull her arms away from his neck. When she finally released him he exaggeratedly rubbed his head in pain. "Sorry. I kinda ran outta mana and my potions froze!"

"Why didn't you send a message to Mir that you were held up then? We would have gone over to you." Lanne said.

"Yeah, well…uh…"

She raised a brow at his excuse. It was very difficult to freeze potions in the first place (she's had experiments of trying to make ice pop potions for the hot summer with little success), but Lanne shook her head. Maybe El Nath was cold enough? Her potions her fine though… "Well, lead the way! The sooner we can get to an inn, the sooner we can get warm."

"You know… If you're cold we can cuddle!" he nudged her with a playful grin. He got an elbow to the ribs in response. "Gah, it was a joke! A joke!"

"It's funny how I'm not laughing." She retorted but then allowed a tiny smile when he wasn't looking. The two of them got on Mir again, who glided down about halfway before letting them down near a long ladder. "Sorry, Mir." The dragon tilted his head in question. "The cold is hard on you, right? And yet you're carrying both me and Evan. Really, thank you." She offered the dragon a small grin that only he could see and she also scratched him behind the horn. Mir tilted his head slightly and growled in pleasure.

"_It's fine. But truth be told… I'm a bit worried about my master."_ The dragon's eyes grew sad as he turned to Evan, who was checking out the stability of the rope. _"Back when he didn't send a message…he didn't reply to mine either. He always does, regardless of if he's out of mana or tired…"_

"So, something might be wrong? He seems alright…" Lanne frowned and cupped her chin with her index finger and thumb. The mage stood back up from crouching low to check to rope and grinned widely, easily communicating that the ladder was safe in his usual goofy manner. "At least in terms of being 'Evan,' that is."

"I don't know about that…" Mir replied, but said nothing after. Lanne sighed and the two of them decided to descend down the final obstacle of the tower… Or so they hoped.

* * *

><p>As soon as the heavy wooden door of the tower opened, both Evan's and Lanne's eyes grimaced at the bright light. The landscape was covered in pure white and the trees looked like they were liberally sprinkled with powdered sugar. Unexpectedly, the winds did not howl like they seemed to be doing while they were up in the tower. Instead of pondering this odd fact, Evan sprinted forward and kicked up some snow like a gleeful child. Lanne placed a hand on her hips and tilted her head in a tired manner.<p>

"Aren't you tired, Evan? Shouldn't we try to find the town before celebrating?"

"C'mon Lanne! Haven't you had fun in the snow before?" Evan laughed and opened his mouth to catch falling snowflakes on his tongue. "I know there had to be at least snow in Edelstein if there wasn't a beach!"

"It did snow," she replied but did not share in his playful antics with the frozen water. What came to mind, she wondered. Lanne shivered, but this one wasn't from the cold. She peered up to the sky with a neutral expression and then shrugged. "I just never found it that interesting."

"No snowball fights? No sledding?" he asked. "Christmas? New Years?"

She shrugged again and looked down. Her foot absently moved a bit of snow into a pile. "Oh there were snowball fights… But let's just say those 'fights' were one-sided." Lanne looked back up at him and smiled, albeit with a touch of loneliness. "And quite honestly, I haven't really been able to celebrate the holidays much, since Brighton and the others were usually busy." Evan blinked in confusion before it hit him and he plopped back into the snow. "Evan?"

"I'm sorry. I'm such a jerk, aren't I?" he groaned as he continued lying in the snow. Both Mir and Lanne looked down at him from above with curious looks. He hid his face behind the sleeve of his arm. There was a moment of pause. Evan played with the thought of making a joke to cheer the both of them up, but an icy projectile hit him square in the stomach. Shortly after, a wave of cold covered his face that was not protected by the warm wool of his cloak. "ACK! COLD!" The dragon master sat up and glared at the seemingly innocent two that both had ice coating their limbs (Or to be exact in Mir's case, his wing).

"You guys…" he growled and grabbed his wand menacingly. "PREPARE YOURSELVES!" Evan shouted dramatically and started towards them with a large bundle of snow in his hands. Mir hid behind the redhead, who put her gloved hands up in defense.

"N-Now now, Evan! It was all good fun right?" she emphasized the word fun. His eyes had a mischievous glint in them as he came towards the two. When he was directly in front of her she shut her eyes, expecting a handful of snow in her face, or worse.

'_Thump'_

The sound of crushed snow alerted her ears. Lanne quickly reopened her eyes and felt her heart leap out of her chest when Evan had fallen forward in the snow just a foot or two away from her. At first she thought he was playing a joke on her, but when she noticed his sharp intakes of breath and pained expression she panicked.

"Evan? Evan, get a hold of yourself!" She knelt down and tried to turn him over on his back. She pulled him up so that his head at some of his upper back lay on her small lap. His face was flushed and his breath came out in quick pants. "What in the…" Beside her, Mir whined and stopped flying. He too had a pained glint in his gold eyes. "Mir? What's going on?"

The dragon looked at her. _"I don't know. I only started to feel his pain when he collapsed. He must have been holding it in for a while and used quite a bit of mana to hide it from _me_... To be honest I didn't think it was possible."_

"You _both_ get affected when he gets sick?"

Mir shook his head. _"No, this feels different… It's like something is messing with his mana slow internally. We are linked by spirit and the spirit runs through the natural flow of the body. I can explain more later but first we need to get him looked at!"_

"Didn't feel this bad before... I figured it was because of my ribs…" Evan grunted and he fought to reopen his eyes. When he saw her worries and concern for him laid bare he grinned weakly and brought his abnormally hot hand up to her cold cheek. "Don't look so worried. I'll be…fine." He scrunched his face into a grimace. His chest ached and the light reflected against the pure white background gave him headaches. A groan reluctantly escaped him and he heard her quick intake of breath. When he managed to focus a bit more on her blurring visage, he got a glimpse of Lanne's face. Her brows were curved in concern, but her eyes were softened to the point where she once again looked like a young child. Her chapped lips parted ever so slightly and her cheeks were red from the biting cold. And were those…tears? No, Lanne wouldn't cry over something like this. She was strong—far stronger than he would ever be…

"Mir, can you move with him on you? I think we're close enough to a town."

Her pocket watch glowed as Shax piped in. _"But what if the Black Wings or Ars Noctis are there?"_

"He won't last long out here. Even if they are here they won't kill us. We're far too valuable for them to do that right away." She reasoned and grunted when she tried to lift him. Mir crawled over and fanned out his wings to act as a ramp to pull his master up. "We have the books, hence we have the leverage. Worst comes to worst we'll have to go back to Orbis. The trip up the tower might be too dangerous though."

"I'll use…the scroll." Evan panted and began to take it out from his bag. He untied the leather strap keeping it in shape and closed his eyes. His hands glowed a weak blue for a few seconds before it died down and the scroll slipped through his fingertips. His face was flushed and his pants were coming even more erratically. Lanne put a hand to his forehead and frowned deeply.

"Shit. At this rate…" she bit her lip. Her mind raced with ways to try to alleviate his pain. "The fever powder!" She quickly took out a small pouch and a bottle of water she kept separate from her canteen. Lanne threw the amount of medicine in and gently tried to coax it to his lips. "It'll be bitter but bear with it, Evan. It'll reduce your fever until we get to town." He parted his lips and made a face when the bitter fluid hit his tongue. Nevertheless like a good patient he drank with little complaint. It would start working in about 10 minutes, but at least his temperature wouldn't get any higher. His breaths were still uneven, but his fever wouldn't kill him. Hopefully.

A chill ran down her spine and she turned her head up towards the sky. The ones clear sky was beginning to become blanketed by dark clouds. The temperature began to drop even further than before, and yet Evan's heat continued to unnerve her.

"C'mon, Mir. Let's go."

* * *

><p>The wind blew harshly against Chase and he brought the white and grey mottled scarf closer to his face. His matching cloak flapped at the mercy of the coming storm and he cursed his luck. The one time he decided to visit an old friend in El Nath, he gets news of some trouble going down. He couldn't just change his plans now. Besides, he owed quite the favor to his friend so abandoning them to danger just didn't cut it. Despite being a thief, he cursed at how chivalrous he could be sometimes.<p>

Chase shivered. He disliked the cold. It reminded him too much of old memories he preferred to be buried away and frozen for the rest of his life, however long or short that may be. He felt warmth from his dagger sheath and smiled a little. "Don't worry, Val. I'm not kicking the bucket yet."

"_You would be wise not to."_ Came a reply from the dark blade at his waist_. "Now, can we please proceed to the town? I would prefer that you die from something grander than frostbite."_

"That hurts! C'mon," he chuckled. Chase looked up to the darkening clouds as the snow began to fall in fat flakes. A storm was coming any moment now. And a big one at that. "This is how it all began. My life. Our bond. It was all beneath the ice. I'll be damned if it ends the same way."

* * *

><p>"Hello? Please let us in!" Lanne shouted over the howling winds outside as she knocked on the tenth door already. "We have a sick person! <em>Please!<em>" She had forsaken her warm wool cloak to cover Evan in another layer and settled for the sweater she wore underneath. Despite the dim lights seen through the window there was no answer to be heard. She cursed and turned around. There had to be some place willing to take them in!

Behind her she could hear a heavy wood door creak open. A hooded figure peered outside and beckoned them over. "Child! Hurry inside before you catch your death!" She sighed in relief and guided Mir over. He too was growing weary from strain and had to walk on his limbs. His wings had no more energy left to flap. They fought against the wind and as soon as they entered the warmth of the building the door shut close. Lanne gasped for air on all fours before falling to her side, shivering and curling up into a damp mess. The figure knelt down next to her and gently put her hands on her arms to rub some warmth into her skin. "What were you thinking? Only wearing this sweater… You wouldn't have lasted an hour more!" It was a female voice, stern and hard, and yet it held a hint of warmth. It reminded her a bit of Claudine. Once Lanne's shivering began to die down the figure stood back up and regarded the dragon with its covered load. "Dragon… Interesting." She turned away and made her way to the fire where a kettle was hung on an iron rod. "I was just heating some herbal tea. I hope you don't mind the bitterness. I ran out of sugar a while ago."

Lanne managed to sit back up and looked around cautiously. Although this stranger allowed them into her home, there was no telling if this person meant good or ill. The room was quaint. The walls were made up of thick cobblestone and a special mixture of mud to keep it insulated. The floors were made up of dark stained birch wood as were much of the furniture. But what surprised her most were the numerous shelves lined with bottles of various extracts of plants, as well as samples of flowers and other such herbs. Piping lined the ceiling and led into another room.

The woman noticed her study of the room. "This is the back of the general store here, although we mainly excel in medicine rather than food. The door you just knocked on was the baker." She motioned to the pipes. "These carry water that has been specially purified for medicinal use. Although…we've been running a bit low as of late." Lanne wanted to ask about that but her stomach growled and the snow on her clothes melted from the heat, so the shivers came once more. "Oh dear, I apologize, child. Here, I'll run a bath for you. Drink some tea while you wait."

"I can't," she stood up on shaky legs and walked over to Mir. She pulled the cloak cover and sighed in relief when it looked like Evan was more or less dry (at least compared to her). His eyes were closed and his face was flushed red. "Please… If it's payment you need I'll give it. But we just need to rest here for a little bit. Just until he gets better!"

She came over to study Evan's red flush and shortness of breath. "How long has he been like this?"

"He suddenly collapsed about an hour ago, but I think he was hiding he was sick for a while. We started going down the tower from Orbis a few hours ago."

"Did either of you use the snow to refill your canteens? Or swallowed any of it?"

Lanne furrowed her brows in confusion. "No… Wait!" She vaguely remembered Evan playing in the snow and letting some flakes dance on his tongue. "I think he swallowed some snow. But it wasn't a lot." While she spoke, the woman began to move. She gently took hold of his wrist and pulled his sleeves up. On his skin were dark, oval-like patches that almost seemed to swirl. "What is this?"

"It's as I feared. What about you? Have you felt light headed? Feverish? Short of breath?"

"No, I'm fine."

The hooded woman was silent for a moment before hooking her arms under Evan and picking him up with relative ease. "I'll take him and his dragon somewhere more comfortable. I'm sorry but I have to leave you to the bath. It's upstairs, second door to the left. When you finish you can set your things down in the room across from the bathroom. There's also some fresh clothes in there as well." Lanne thanked the woman greatly before bowing and hurrying upstairs. She paused for a moment and turned to stare back at Evan and the woman with hesitation before continuing up. The woman set Evan down on the couch and set a fur blanket over him. His eyes opened slightly and he looked in her direction, but it looked like he was looking right through her.

"Lanne…?"

"Shh… She's nearby. Just rest."

"La…nne…" he mumbled and closed his tired eyes again. "Lanne…"

"Hush…" she whispered and moved some of his brown bangs away from his sweaty visage. "It'll only last for a short while more."

* * *

><p>Lanne slipped her body in the hot water and sighed in bliss as the heat enveloped her. Although they were only out for a day, the bitter cold made it feel like forever. Winters never got this cold in Edelstein, and if they ever did she typically spent them indoors or underground (as per usual). She tilted her head back and sunk deeper into the water.<p>

This journey was so confusing. Would it even be worth it in the end? There was no real guarantee that the answer they sought was even in the books they searched for to begin with.

Lanne stretched her left arm out in front of her and stared at the pitch black marking on her hand. Shax once explained that it was a mark of sealing—a process much different from making a contract. Quite often, the price for sealing is much greater than the normal method of attaining a demon. Lanne wondered what price had to be paid for this so called Glasya Labolas to be sealed away in her body. She wondered who did it. But most of all, she wondered why?

When she noticed that the water felt lukewarm she quickly stood up and hurried to get herself dry. Lanne scolded herself for enjoying that bath for far longer than she should have. She didn't care that her hair was still dripping wet from the bath when she came downstairs to check on Evan. The only people she saw was Mir, who was basking in the warmth by the fireplace, and the woman that helped them cooking by the stove. She was void of the brown cloak she wore before, so Lanne was able to note her features. Her hair was styled in black curls. She looked to be in her late thirties or so. The youth hadn't left her face entirely, but she could see the beginning of wrinkles around her grey eyes. A delicious aroma wafted to her and she swallowed thickly.

"E-Excuse me…" Lanne began and looked around the room.

The woman simply smiled and tilted her head towards another door. "He's fast asleep in the guest room. Now, sit down at the table. I'll have supper out in a moment."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, dear. It's quite alright. The table is already set and I've already seen to your friend."

"Alright…" she replied meekly and sat down. Despite the gratitude she felt for the woman, she disliked leaving Evan for very long. It reminded her of the past she so badly wished to forget. The meal that smelled so good quickly turned bitter in her mouth, but she put up her front again and nodded in appreciation. "Thank you very much…"

The woman nodded and gestured to the door she mentioned earlier. "I know you're worried. Feel free to visit him now that you've gotten some warm food in you. He should still be sleeping, but he's been asking for you in his sleep." Lanne thanked her once more and left after washing her dishes.

"Excuse the intrusion…" Lanne muttered and entered the room.

Inside, Evan was covered in a colorful quilt with a cool cloth over his forehead. His bags were on the dresser, as was his weapon and headband. She sat down on a wooden chair that was by the bet and folded her hands in her lap. His breathing was still uneven, but it wasn't as bad. The pained look in his expression was absent, but she assumed that was because he was lost in the oblivion that was sleep.

"You're really an idiot, you know? Not saying anything. Not even to Mir. Think of how your actions could have affected this journey!" she spoke in a voice louder than she wanted to. Even so, he refused to stir. "Can you even hear me?" Lanne frowned at this lack of response. "You're supposed to say something. You always do." Still no answer.

The silence was familiar to her. She was used to it back in her days in Edelstein, before everything went to hell. Sure, life there wasn't easy, but it was bearable. And now she's stuck on a journey that she still doesn't quite understand and everything she's known is flipped. With the exception of the Orbis incident, no one stares at her in hatred. No one openly calls her Lilith. No one scorns her existence. It's a strange experience. Scary, even, if she had to truthfully admit it. But through it all, Evan had been with her. They've had their ups and downs and close calls, but they've survived until now.

Was Lilith's 'curse' going to take him too?

She felt a cold hand of fear grip her heart and she willed the uncomfortable feeling to go away. She was overreacting. He was stronger than this. There was no way this kind of thing would be the end of the dragon master. He'd wake up earlier than her like usual. He'd try waking her up and oppose her stoic expression with a goofy grin. He would tell her stories of his past that she always failed to give in return.

"…You wanted to learn more about me, right?" She looked up at the ceiling in thought before nodding to herself. "There isn't much that really stood out in my childhood to mention, and the ones that do you already know. Like how I took care of the jaguars that the Wild Hunters used and that I was raised by the job masters. Oh, here's something. I helped deliver the mail. Can you imagine _me_ delivering mail? Brighton and the others hoped that it would be a way to get to know everyone in town since I practically lived underground if I couldn't help it." The redhead chuckled a little and fiddled with her thumbs. "I didn't have many friends my age or even to begin with." She paused for a moment in thought. "Actually… There was one girl. It was a long, long time ago. I think I was seven or so when I met her. Back then, no one knew me as Lilith." Lanne looked down at her hands and willed them not to tremble as they normally did when she spoke of such a topic aloud. She didn't know exactly why she was even bringing it up, let alone continuing.

"Her name was Alecia. She was everything I wasn't. She wore pretty outfits as opposed to my tomboyish ones. Her hair was curly while mine was straight. She had a mother and father while I had none. But most of all, a lot of people loved her. You can imagine my surprise when she wanted to get to know me." Lanne smiled a little as she thought back to those precious, albeit painful days. A part of her wondered why she ever stopped thinking about the girl, but at the same time she dreaded going too far into her memories—into _that_ day that she so willed herself to forget but couldn't. "When we became close, I brought her to my favorite places, like a lake hidden in the forest, or the cliff near the town. That one especially was our favorite. In exchange, occasionally she'd bring treats for us to share as we watched the sun set. But the thing I enjoyed her bringing the most were stories. Her father was a librarian and her mother taught at the local school, so she was well read. I'd listen to them in wonder as she told them without a single stutter."

Lanne remembered each one. She remembered the one about a giant bean stalk. She remembered the one about the girl covered in soot and cinders who managed to meet prince charming at a ball. She remembered the one about a man and woman who were not supposed to fall in love but did.

"There was one time when I got bullied so badly that I confided in her. Hah, man I was a real mess that day. The local girls kept tugging at my hair and splashed paint all over my things. When they finally left me alone, I managed to put myself back together so that Brighton and the others wouldn't worry. It wasn't until we met up again at the cliff that the mask broke. As soon as we met she went 'What's wrong?' Everything just...came out after that. I told her how scared and angry I was. I told her how I was thinking about dropping out of school just to escape it all. I said all of this while crying my eyes out. I bet nothing I said made sense." The memories kept flowing back in in near perfect clarity. "And you know what she did next? She took my face in her hands and said 'A magic spell for the crybaby, and another one for tears. Smile with the same face as me, I'll take away your doubts and fears'!" Lanne found herself giggling softly at the dumb rhyme her friend said. "She had the stupidest grin on her face at the time. Now that I think about it, it kind of reminds me of yours, Evan."

The redhead studied his face for a reaction. His eyes fluttered once, but made no other indication that he was conscious or not. Lanne's face fell as she continued.

"A few weeks later her father died in a mineshaft accident. No one really knows how it happened, but some people think the support beams wore out or a spark lit some coal dust alight. I wasn't allowed to view the funeral, but seeing her expression the next day, I knew she cried her eyes out. That was the only time both of us sat in silence as we watched the sun disappear. It was like being next to a stranger, but I couldn't bring myself to leave her like that. The next day, she turned back into her normal, cheerful self. I didn't even ask why at first. If anything, I felt like this brought us closer. She lost a father, and I never had one. I was…happy. I had my friend, my _best friend,_ back. I didn't even realize that she became my best friend until that moment. But…"

Lanne leaned forward and placed her head in her hands while she rested her elbows on the bed. Her face contorted in pain and she shut her eyes tightly. Telling this story felt draining. Simply thinking back on it was taxing. So why? Why was she telling Evan this story of all things? But she couldn't stop. She thanked whatever god that mocked her since he was still asleep, albeit from sickness. Lanne reopened her eyes and studied Evan's face again. It was like a child's face. He still didn't look 18. She released her grip on her head and tentatively touched his hand. It was hot and slightly sweaty, but oddly enough it gave her a sense of comfort. Like she wasn't going through hell alone.

"Alecia…got sick one day. I don't know how, but it was bad. Before she used to be able to catch up to me on our trips to the cliffs, but gradually she needed to take more breaks. Soon, we couldn't even make it halfway and she had to stay in her bed at home. I wasn't allowed to meet her since people were still wary around me, but I still managed to sneak over to keep her company. She had a tree by her windowsill so I would climb it whenever her mom was gone or busy. Alecia had to take some expensive medicine and that eventually made her family broke. Her mother's salary couldn't keep up with the rising demands of the medicine since more and more people were coming down with the sickness. Funny thing though. She didn't die from the sickness like so many others." A bitter smile touched her lips before she sighed and shifted forward to that her body was halfway on the bed in a resting position. Her arms folded to act as a pillow for her head. Lanne closed her eyes. She felt sleepy as the activities of the day caught up with her at last. But just before she lost consciousness, she had to at least finish her story. Finish it while he still couldn't hear or remember the 'sin' she committed.

"I was the one who killed her."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: SO…this took longer than expected. I decided I'm gonna stop putting "expect the next chapter out soon!" because I tend to break those promises. SORRY GUYS! But yeah, we finally learn more about Lanne's and Alecia's (the girl who I usually mention in flashbacks) relationship more, albeit it's more of a rehash of what the flashbacks were. The main thing is that she's talking to Evan about it, albeit he's kinda a deadweight in the bed right now, haha. The next chapter is still gonna have fluff since I'm gonna stop this one at about 6.1k words. I couldn't fit the next part very well in one chapter, haha.

By the way, I'm taking creative writing next semester, so hopefully that will help me write more interesting stuff that flows better.


	15. Trust

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter 15: Trust

I'm a bit disappointed with this chapter because of the lack of...action. I had to put it in chapter 16 because then this chapter probably would have been 13-15k words... I'm kinda sad though. I wanna skip straight into the action and romance XD

* * *

><p><em>I wake up<em>  
><em>The sunlight shining through the trees like after a dream<em>  
><em>Pierces through to the other side of my eyelids<em>  
><em>Even though I think, "All of it should have come true"<em>  
><em>Again, I fall<em>

_-Neverever Land, Nano_

* * *

><p>Rays of sunlight streamed through the snow tucked windows. A savory smell permeated through the air, causing Lanne's nose to twitch to life. Her eyes gradually opened and the first thing she was a rather colorful quilt.<p>

"Huh?" she sat up quickly and looked around. A blanket fell off her shoulders in the process, but that and the creak in her neck were the least of her worries. She looked up and sighed in relief. Evan was lying in bed just as she left him, except he looked much better than before. He wasn't in a cold sweat anymore, nor did he look in pain, just discomfort. The only thing that worried her was that his usually sun-kissed skin was still quite pale. It reminded her of how Alecia used to look when she was bedridden for weeks. For the healthy energetic Evan to be reduced to this in only a night...

It scared her.

The door opened to reveal the woman that took her in with a tray of food in her hands. "Ah, you're awake. That's good. I brought enough food for the two of you since I have a feeling you won't want to leave until you're sure of his condition."

"How did you know?" she asked in surprise and helped clear the nearby desk for her to put the tray down.

The woman chuckled. "You have that same look of fright from yesterday even now. You must care about him a lot, don't you?"

"Ah, well…" Lanne felt at a loss for an answer to the question. Yes, she cared for Evan. How couldn't she? They've traveled for practically a month now. The time wasn't long, but the adventure they've shared thus far made their bond relatively solid. The woman grinned slyly. Lanne couldn't understand the reason behind that grin. Did she say something odd? "I suppose I do…?"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, child. Relationships with others tend to make us stronger rather than not. Now if only that idiot son of mine would listen to reason…" the woman murmured the last part but Lanne caught word of it. "Oh, it's nothing. I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? My name is Anna Lowenthall. You can just call me Anna, dear."

"My name is Lanne Hunter and this is Evan." She frowned a little and looked around the room. "This may sound like a strange question, but have you seen the dragon that came with us?"

"That one is taking watch outside now that the storm has died down. He seemed to be quite knowledgeable of human language, so I told him not to stray too far and not to swallow the snow or unpurified water." Anna made her way to the door before Lanne could ask more. "I will explain it to you later, but first you must eat. I left some smelling salts if he had trouble waking up since he really needs some food in him. Come down when you're done."

"Thank you." Lanne bowed a little and then turned to Evan. "Hey, wake up. Come on, Evan." She lightly slapped his cheeks until his eyes reluctantly opened slowly. The dragon master groaned and turned his head towards her.

"I feel like ten balrogs sat on my head… What happened?" his voice came out hoarse and she gave him a glass of water. She tried helping him sit upright and moved his pillows to help keep him up. He thanked her and slowly drank much to his throat's content.

"You collapsed as soon as we got out of that tower. You idiot… Why did you hide it for so long?" Lanne frowned and took the glass from him once he was done. She picked up the warm bowl of broth and stared at the dark amber liquid with a hard glare. "Forget telling me. You didn't even tell Mir."

He chuckled weakly. "Yeah, yeah… I heard it all yesterday." Lanne's face betrayed a look of confusion before she gasped and turned red in the face.

"Y-Y-You were awake for that?" she stammered. Evan smiled at her.

"Well, I heard the usual 'you idiot' speech if that's what you're asking." Lanne hit him in the forehead with the spoon. "Ouch! Don't hit a sick person!"

"If you can talk like this then you can take a hit. Now eat." She took a spoonful and lightly blew it before bringing it up to his lips. A strange blush rushed to his already flushed cheeks, causing her to hesitate and ask tentatively. "Are you okay? Is your fever coming back up?"

"I-I'm fine…" he replied and leaned in to swallow the broth. Evan tried not to make the discomfort in his body apparent and hummed. "Mmm, that's good. Did you make it?"

"No, I just woke up myself."

He hesitated in his motion to take another spoonful of delicious broth. "You should eat, too."

"Eat. Now." She spoke with a solid threat in her tone and he meekly took another bite. After a few more she sighed. "Don't do this ever again, alright? Promise me."

Evan's gaze at her softened and he slowly nodded. "Alright. I'm sorry I worried you, Lanne."

"You better be…" she mumbled and set the bowl down once he was done with the broth. "We'll be staying here until you get your strength back. I'll start asking Anna about what's been going on in town."

"Anna? Heh, that's my mom's name." Evan chuckled.

"Ah, so that's why the name sounded so familiar." Lanne joined in the quiet laughter.

It felt nice to be on good terms with him again now that the tension was gone. In Orbis she worried had had done something wrong, although nothing came to mind. In a way, getting sick was a morbid blessing in disguise. Caring for someone reminded her of the times she would tend to the job masters around wintertime. Belle and Checky seemed to hold off their rivalry in the cold because neither of them wanted to be at the mercy of the other should one of them fall to a cold. Lanne smiled a bit at the fond memories.

"What are you thinking about?" Evan asked upon seeing the soft expression on her face.

"Nothing. Just some good times." She stood from her chair and picked up the tray she had left on the table. "You should get some sleep. The faster you get better, the faster we can get out of El Nath." Right before she left the room she turned back around. "You still have to prove that sunrise is better than sunset. When this is over and we take a break from El Nath, show me." Before he could reply Lanne left the room.

With that, Evan fell back on the bed and covered his eyes with his arm. The action alone exhausted him despite the sleep he caught up on last night. The strength from the food had not kicked in yet and his body was still weak from pushing himself too hard earlier in the tower. Despite his chatter with Lanne, he had a pounding headache and his body was hot and sore. When he looked closer at his arms, he saw the strange markings on his skin and swallowed nervously. He hoped that whatever he had was curable. It couldn't end now. What would happen to Mir? Where was he, anyway? Was he alright? What would happen to Lanne? He couldn't leave her alone. With what little strength he had left he flexed his fingers into a resolved fist.

Out of everything he's almost died to, he'd be damned if a sickness is the thing to do him in.

* * *

><p>Lanne rolled her shoulders after helping wash the dishes. Her body was will a bit sore from sleeping in a strange position. Anna thanked her for her work and offered her some soup and bread, seeing as how the redhead did not eat yet.<p>

"Thank you, dear. You've been such a help ever since you've come here." Anna smiled as she finished wiping down a glass and putting it on a shelf.

"No, you've been letting us stay here until my companion gets better. You don't even know us and you feed us. It's the least I can do, Anna." Lanne replied and took another sip from the delicious cream soup. She paused for a moment afterwards and set her spoon down. "You haven't explained this…disease yet."

The woman froze in her movements for a long moment before sighing deeply. She sat down with a weary creak in her bones and folded her hands on her lap. "I'm not sure how but it arrived with a coming storm a few weeks ago. It started with a child collapsing after school and after that it seemed to spread. That's why so many of the houses are closed and no one answers. Either they're waiting it out or…" Anna closed her eyes and lowered her head. "It took a while, but we learned that the disease seems to stem from a water source rather than being airborne seeing as how I am still fine. I drink from the purified water most of the time since I'm a bit skeptical about well water. I have tried giving it out between the remaining villagers but…I'm running out. Boiling water doesn't work to kill the illness in the water and I'm running low on iodine."

"Can't you just move on?" Lanne asked. "If the water is bad here, then maybe you can relocate to Orbis for the time being?"

Anna shook her head and chuckled bitterly. "The young ones were the first to fall. No one wants to leave them here, and the ones that did never made it back. All that is left here are the elderly that cannot make the journey and bedridden children. We are, in essence, trapped here."

"So, there's no cure?" Lanne's eyes widened as she looked towards the stairs—towards Evan.

"I'm afraid not. I have tried everything I know and nothing seems to work…" Anna buried her head in her hands in despair. "I managed to figure out a way to delay the heavy symptoms, but those remedies don't last long."

"How long does he have?" When Anna didn't answer, Lanne leaned forward. "How. Long?"

"He's a strong boy, so right now his body is coping. But…" she looked back at her. "I give it two or three days, if he's lucky, before his health begins to decline rapidly."

Lanne felt the breath in her lungs get knocked out and she stared into her lap. Just before this he injured his ribs. The trip down the tower was bad enough. She doubted Evan would be able to handle the sickness for long in his condition, strong or not.

"And what are the symptoms?"

"…Shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of coordination due to dizziness. The list goes on and can change depending on the person. It's the main reason why it's been so hard to treat." Anna shook her head. "The real killer is the increasing body temperature. With the heat, his body continues to sweat so he runs the risk of dehydration. Not to mention at a high enough temperature it starts to affect the brain…"

"Why didn't you tell us this the first night? When we first came in?" Lanne tried to suppress the anger in her voice. If the woman noticed it she made no excuse. She merely stood up from her seat and walked over to the frost tinted window.

"When I saw his condition I knew what he had. I knew how slim his chances were. I did have a mind to tell you right after you freshened up last night, but…" She turned back around. "You had that look of desperate hope, not unlike my son years ago before he left… Could _you_ destroy it so easily?"

Lanne parted her lips to say that yes, she would. But then, upon seeing just how grave Evan looked last night and the fear that consumed her… The redhead simply stood up and walked upstairs quietly. Anna heard a door open and close before leaning against the wall and burying her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry…"

* * *

><p>"Aris Maria…Lumis Sainta…Ostrega Pina… Nothing?" Lanne mumbled irately and angrily flipped through another page of Dr. Grigori's medicinal book that he had entrusted to her. None of these herbs applied to the symptoms, nor did any of the sicknesses in the book apply to the one at hand. The desk was littered with herbs she had bought from Orbis and bottles of medicine she had mixed up to help stall the symptoms.<p>

The morning light had disappeared a while ago and a blanket of navy darkness covered the land. Low candlelight at the desk was the only thing lighting the room right now. Evan was slumbering away, but his heavy breathing was not lost to her. Lanne stood up and moved to his side to replace the rag on his forehead with a cooler one. Just as Anna predicted, his condition had gotten worse to the point where he couldn't even wake to eat. His skin was hot and she had to dab him now and then with a dry cloth to clean him of sweat. She had repeated this process numerous times through the night and would then proceed to flip through Dr. Grigori's book and her previous knowledge of potions that could possibly help the Dragon Master. Mir, unable to stay outside anymore due to the cold, was curled up by the fire in the living room. The dragon wasn't fairing any better. It was almost like the dragon was in a hibernating state—alive but unmoving save for the rising and falling of his breaths. He would be in the room right now if there was enough space.

Her stomach rumbled but she refused to take a food break. Instead she reached for the cold tea next to her and prayed the beverage would keep her awake. Lanne's green eyes were slowly but steadily getting heavier and heavier with every word read on the page. On breaks, she would take out the gold cryptex from her bag and turn the letter engraved rings idly.

"Gris Fortuni…Ria Mertunis…" the words weren't even beginning to make sense anymore and she buried her face in her hands in frustration. "There's nothing that sounds like this disease!" Idly, she planted her cheek on the thick pages and closed her eyes. The strange plant and disease names were starting to sound like a song in her dazed mind as she fell victim to it. Just for a little while… She'll close her eyes for just a little while.

Just as her breathing evened out and the bliss of sleep took over the door opened slowly. The figure entering the room froze upon seeing Lanne slumped at the desk and cautiously walked in. In the bed, the Dragon Master was also sleeping, albeit not as calmly as the redhead.

"Just my luck…" the figure sighed quietly and tiredly pulled off his Dark Identity and his bag on the door hanger. He walked over to the girl at the desk and studied her with grey eyes. Carefully he raised a finger to move some strands of hair away from her face, but stopped himself in order not to wake her accidentally. Her peaceful face was a definite change from all the previous looks of anger and distrust that was usually aimed at him. "You sure have a lot building on your tab, Red. First I save you in Kerning, then the forest, and now you take my room. What am I going to do with you…?" He chuckled quietly and backed away. With a soft breath he put out the candle and left the room, leaving her with the faint smell of candle smoke in her unconsciousness.

* * *

><p><em>Elsewhere… <em>

"I'm in position." A man whispered into the com in his ear. His sandy blonde hair was slightly hidden beneath a black mask that covered his face up to his nose. His eyes darted back and forth through the vent to check is the coast was clear.

"Alright. There should be a forked hallway. Take the left and follow the wall until you see a set of stairs." The voice on the other side of the com instructed. The man nodded and silently pushed the vent gate out of the way and silently landed on the cobblestone floor with soft leather boots. The sound of guards making their rounds was in the distance, but he guessed they were far enough away for him to sneak past. The halls weren't lit very well anyway, so his dark grey and brown clothes would easily blend with the shadows cast by the torches. Once he found them the voice stopped him. "Wait. Look for the first torch on the left side at the beginning of the stairs and pull down."

The man held back a curse and muttered about saying that a bit earlier. Once he found said-torch he pulled down at an angle. Sure enough a click was heard from the wall and it shifted. Cautiously, the sandy blonde pushed the wall. It gave in and began to rotate to reveal a narrow hidden passage. The man smiled and shook his head. "Rotating doors? They really have no taste, eh Brighton?"

"_Focus_, Checky…" the voice scolded and the man pouted. Checky continued down the secret passage that led to a downwards spiral staircase. The scent of moisture invaded his nostrils through the mask as well as something else that made him cringe. Whatever was down here couldn't be pleasant.

When he made it to the last stair he was greeted with three large cells divided up with thick stone walls. They could have held at least twenty prisoners comfortably each, but all of them appeared empty from his spot near the entrance. All the doors remained open as well. It looked bare enough…but what was emitting that foul odor? "There's nothing here."

"Check the last cell yourself. Maybe you're missing something."

Cautiously, Checky looked around for any guards and made his way down the short line of huge cells. The first one, he noticed, sported a small crater in front of a pair of shackles on the wall. Even though the room was dark he could faintly see faint splatters of old blood against the walls and floors there. He cringed and hoped his racing imagination was merciful compared to what actually conspired.

The second cell sported no damage to the interior, unlike the first. However the smell of mold and decay hit his nose. He could faintly see the glowing eyes of large rats and the scattering of their tiny paws against the freezing stone floors. The flickering light from the fires did, however, illuminate the state of the door. The bars were stained coppery red where he presumed a prisoner would keep their hands. The lock was scratched and stained as well, as if something tried to pry it open with bloody nails. The rats squeaked, as if calling him over. Checky shuddered.

The final cell was the darkest of them all. The faint light of the torches did not reach this corner, but now he could tell the rancid smell was coming from here. His sixth sense felt another presence within the cell walls and he took out a gun from his holster. Checky swallowed thickly and turned on a light attached to his handgun. Cautiously, he prowled into the room in a shooting stance—ready for whatever awaited him in the pitch blackness.

None of his training could have ever prepared him for the sight that lay before him.

A figure sat crumpled and broken in front of him on the cold floor. Her arms were held up uncomfortably by rusted chains that were impossibly tight around her already small wrists. Bloody strawberry blonde hair fanned across her bare shoulders and partly covered her face that was marred with cuts and bruises, both old and new. The figure's eyes were closed and her chest unmoving.

"Belle…" Checky murmured in shock and he dropped the gun, causing the light to dance across the room for a moment before it spun back in their direction. The flashlight shone on the broken Wild Hunter like a spotlight for all the world to see. While he took out a tiny pen laser to cut her chains he turned his com back on. "Brighton, I found her. Put Claudine on the line." Once the first shackle was off he cringed. The skin there was cut up and swollen from the rough metal. The other wrist was no different. The smell was acrid and made him want to turn away. Infection had already sunk in and he feared for the worst. There was a shuffle of movement on the com before a female breath came to his ears. "Claudine… Belle's hurt. Bad."

"Use your drone so I can get a better look at her."

Carefully he reached into his bag and pulled out a small grey metal sphere. With a quick press of a button on the controls beneath the sleeve of his shirt the sphere came to life. A small helicopter kept it up in the air and a tiny camera focused in on Belle. Checky heard a sharp intake of breath from the older Resistance member and couldn't help but feel her pain in addition to his. But, quick as she could throw a knife, Claudine was back and her voice was low and steady.

"Take out one of the syringes I gave you and inject it in her forearm. You remember how to do that, right?" he nodded at her request and took out a small syringe filled with clear fluid. "Good. This should bring her around while still numbing whatever pain she has. Now Checky, you have to check her awareness."

"Roger," he frowned even then as he heard her moan as she was slipping away from blissful unconsciousness. Her eyes slowly opened and she stared at him with fatigued eyes, but he saw a faint flicker of recognition. "Belle? Do you remember me?"

"…Ch…ky…" she mumbled barely above a whisper. The bottom half of her cherry pink lips had a fresh cut as blood dripped down her chin. Checky gently wiped it away with his gloved hand and nodded.

"Yeah. Checky. Sorry I'm late." The sound of footsteps echoed close, almost as if they were heading down the staircase. It was the only way in and out, and the mechanic wasn't sure if he could fight soldiers off without the majority of his equipment while protecting Belle. He glanced at the cell door and frowned. There was no way he could sneak back outside with Belle in her condition. He had hoped she would be able to walk, but judging from her condition he doubted she could lift a finger. So, this meant plan B. "Is the Anti-Teleport barrier down yet?"

"No, not yet." Claudine answered with a bitter note. "I'm not as good as you at hacking. Brighton isn't doing so well either."

"Well you're going to have to crack that code soon or you're going to be short another pair of hands." Checky cursed as the footsteps came closer. The room was barren with nowhere to hide. He had already cut the chains on Belle and couldn't put her back how she was before. He could only hope that the person coming to inspect wouldn't think highly of the prisoner in the dark room where no hope poured in. Quick and silent, Checky crept into the darkest corner of the room and hoped his dark clothes would mask his presence. The footsteps came closer and closer past the first cell, then the second. The mechanic willed his heart to calm down.

The footsteps finally stopped in front of the final cell. After a short moment, Checky felt his heart stop when the figure came inside and stood in front of Belle whose free hands rested on her lap. She had once again relapsed into unconsciousness. Curiously enough he exhibited no signs of anger and made no motion to call the guards. From where Checky was hidden in the shadows he couldn't see his face—only the back of the man's head. Instead of the traditional armor the soldiers wore in this castle the man wore a long black jacket with gold trimmings. It was frayed at the ends where the mechanic could see dark leather boots and the dull shine of metal. He carried no visible weapon with him, but Checky was still cautious. At last, the man pulled a hand to his ear. "Surge? Yes, it's me Noah. It's about the girl."

The mechanic held back a curse. If he called for back-up or decided to move her to another cell he would be back to square one, or worse, trapped along with her. No other persons were heard nearby. If it was only one person then maybe Checky could take him out after his conversation. His hand twitched and slowly inched towards his belt where he had electric brass knuckles.

"It was a false alarm. Don't worry about it. Go back to your post."

He froze. What? Didn't he see how her shackles were cut? Did he not smell the pungent smell of burning metal? The man bent down on one knee in front of her and sighed deeply. "He went too far this time. It would be in your best interest if you left right now." The last to words held such finality that the mechanic _knew_ it was both a warning and advice to him_._ The sandy blonde moved out of the darker shadows of the room.

"Why didn't you call anyone if you knew I was here?"

The man laughed just a bit and turned to face Checky. His gold eyes were lit with amusement and a smirk settled on his lips. The man stood before him completely relaxed, as if he was talking to an unarmed friend. It felt odd to the mechanic, considering he was supposed to be in the organization that tore down his hometown.

"I have no intention of keeping a woman I don't need here. I only need the vessel for Lord Glasya and the texts that were lost along with it. And besides…_you're_ not the one that is supposed to face me in the end." Noah said cryptically. He took out a scroll from inside his black coat and tossed it over to him. He also passed him a neatly folded plain brown hooded cloak. "That scroll will take you a few miles away from the outskirts of Edelstein, a section that wasn't burned down completely. You should be able to find your way back from there. The cloak is for the woman. You wouldn't want to catch any attention, right?"

Checky caught the scroll while holding his gaze. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't." The smirk remained on the man's lips. He rolled his sleeve up and revealed a silver chain with a strange symbol charm on it. The charm lit up for a few seconds before the light died down. The com device in his ear came to life as Brighton barked an order.

"The barrier is down! Get out of there!"

The mechanic narrowed his eyes at Noah in distrust. The gold eyed man merely placed a hand on his hip and put most of his weight on his back leg. "You only have one chance. Make it count."

* * *

><p><em>El Nath…<em>

Lanne's eyes blinked the sleep out of her hands and she sat up from her spot at her desk. Her back creaked once more and she groaned. "I will never get used to sleeping like this…" Her nose flared slightly at the smell of food downstairs. "Waking up to food, however, I can." Lanne stood up and walked over to Evan. He was still asleep and his cheeks were red, but his breathing had evened out overnight. The swirling marks on his arms remained. In fact, they may have spread to his chest. A thought came to her. The same thing happened before as well. His symptoms would get better in the morning and then deteriorate overnight. Could this sickness be related? Her eyes narrowed but her stomach groaned in protest.

"Fine, I'll feed you…" She lightly pat her stomach and made her way downstairs. The sleep was still settled in her eyes so she rubbed them while she walked and turned towards the kitchen. "Anna, do you need help?"

"Finally woke up, eh? I'd say set the table but it's done already."

Her eyes snapped open and she nearly gaped at the sight of the same thief from Kerning and New Leaf City. Except this time instead of brandishing a knife in her face, he was standing in front of a stove with a white apron around his waist and oil tipped spatula in hand. He was void of his usual headwear and armguards and instead wore a grey button down and black pants.

"Y-Y-You! What are you doing here?" Lanne took a step towards the stairs. She left Shax on the desk. "And where is Anna? What did you do—" Quick as a flying dagger, Chase was in front of her covering her mouth with his hand.

"Shhh… She's fine. She's just sleeping in the next room. She was up all night divvying up more water for the rest of the townsfolk. I handed them out this morning while you were knocked out." He explained quietly. Lanne narrowed her eyes and bit his finger. The thief merely chuckled and let her go before returning to the stove. "For that, you're getting the burnt bacon."

The redhead looked at him suspiciously and stayed by the stairs. If he did anything suspicious, she would rush up now. "You still didn't answer why you were here."

"I'm visiting a friend, more or less." He answered easily and slid the food on a plate. "I'm all up for an interrogation session, but I'd much rather get some food in my stomach first. Or during. Whichever floats your boat, Red."

"Are you ever going to say my damn name?" she frowned and cautiously walked towards the table. It was a relatively nice spread considering. There was a steaming pot of chicken broth as well as bacon and eggs done over easy. She raised a brow. Anna definitely didn't have these in her pantry before. Lanne sent a quizzical look to the thief, who chuckled at her stare.

"Old man Jamison down the street still had some good eggs. I'm a thief, what do you expect?"

"Then I don't need it." She pushed the plates of food away despite her protesting stomach. The thief shook his head at her.

"Fine. At least eat the soup. That came from a hunt on the way here." He offered. Lanne stared at the amber broth and swallowed thickly before giving in and ladling herself a bowl. Tentatively she took a sip and sighed in satisfaction as the broth warmed her up. Nevertheless, she still stayed weary around him, always keeping ready to reach for the dagger in her boot. He raised a brow and took another bite of bacon. "Relax, Red. I'm not going to do anything."

"How can I trust you?"

"You just don't. That's the kicker, isn't it?" he propped his elbow on the table and rested his head on his palm. His lips thinned out and he looked out the window to the snowy scenery. "But Anna does. She actually sent me a letter a few days ago to come and check this place out. Said there was some trouble brewing up. If you need proof I can pull it out now, although I doubt you know her handwriting so that evidence is out the window."

Lanne eased up a little when she sensed some truth in his words and set her spoon down. "How do you know Anna?"

"She's an old friend. That's it." He smiled but the redhead could see that it didn't reach his grey eyes. This was beginning to tread on shaky territory and she proceeded with caution.

"I'll believe you for now…" No use getting him angry since she and Evan were in no shape to fight him off, nor was there a real reason to since he didn't have the cryptex anymore. Now that her 'interrogation' was over she was at a loss as to what to say. Usually Evan was the one to initiate conversation and carried them on despite her short answers or quips. She could have just ended it there, but something in that smug look in the thief's eyes was almost teasing her in her inability to carry a conversation. "I heard your name was Chase…" She spoke conversationally to change topics. The thief eased up ever so slightly and smirked with a lazy look about him.

"Ah, so you are interested in me."

"I'm interested enough to learn your name, unlike a certain someone." She growled the last part, which he chuckled again at her insistent need for him to say her name correctly. A door opened revealing a very tired Anna. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine dear." Anna reassured the redhead and turned to Chase. "Thank you very much for coming."

The redhead stood from her seat. "How do you know each other?"

The woman's expression softened and a smile bloomed on her face. "How? This is my son, Chase." Lanne's eyes widened and she looked back and forth between the two of them. They looked absolutely nothing alike! And Chase only said they were friends!

Chase sighed and stood up as well to place his dishes in the sink. "I'm going out to cut some firewood now that the snow settled. C'ya." Without another word, the thief left Anna and a still bewildered Lanne alone in the room. Anna gestured for the redhead to sit as she joined her on the table.

"I see that you're more than a little doubtful."

"Ah, no it's just…" she tried not to look too confused in hopes not offend the woman. The smile on her face did not disappear. In fact, it might have grown knowingly.

"He doesn't look like me, does he?" Anna guessed and Lanne remained silent as an answer. The older woman sighed and looked out the same window Chase did earlier. "It's true that we're not related by blood, but that doesn't change the fact that I see him as my own. I've known him since he was born and in the past he's fallen on hard times. Despite this I didn't have the heart to stop him when he decided to leave El Nath on his own a couple years ago."

"Anna…you know what he does right?" Lanne said. "He's a thief."

The woman didn't look worried or surprised at all. "Yes, I know he became a thief when he left. But even with his profession I can see it in his eyes: he's a good boy and wouldn't do anything without a good reason." Anna let out a yawn and stretched. The redhead could hear the creak in her joints. Lanne didn't want to bring up how he stole an artifact of great importance and even attacked her and Evan. "How is your friend doing?"

Ah, good. A change in topic, albeit a somber one. "His fever went down by a bit, but the marks are spreading."

"Interesting. Usually the sick don't fluctuate between normal and abnormal body temperature." The woman put a finger to her lips. "Perhaps it is because you two are not from here?"

"Why do you think so?"

"I've never heard of the sickness that ails us before, so I had an epiphany last night… Perhaps it has something to do with a curse, rather than a disease?" Anna folded her hands on the table. "I heard this story when I was a little girl. Years ago…long before I or my mother was born, a girl was born with hair was white as snow and eyes as blue as a clear sky. According to the story, the night she was born the sky was alight with falling stars—a good omen for this child. However as she grew, she seemed to possess certain…powers. The girl never grew cold in the snow, nor did she ever get sick. Some said her tears even had healing properties! The townspeople grew weary at these signs. Winters grew crueler and crueler and summer gave the people no respite. In hopes of appeasing the spirits in El Nath, they decided a suitable sacrifice must be made. The people threatened and pushed the girl's parents into a corner until they could take no more. They tricked their only daughter and trapped her in a cavern of ice. Soon after, the storms stopped and the summers grew warm. Worst of all, she was forgotten. Well, by all except for her parents who could not live with themselves for their deed… Their bodies were buried near the cavern. The people of El Nath didn't even have the good grace to mark the grave."

"How cruel…" Lanne clenched her fists in disgust.

Anna reached across the table and touched her hand. "Have faith, child. If Evan is still all right and fighting, then I believe he will recover from this. Perhaps the snow child will have mercy, seeing as you both do not originate from here."

Lanne pulled her hand away and stood up. She grabbed her jacket and cloak and made her way to the front door, but not before making one last statement to Anna. "Faith? I haven't had much of that my whole life."

* * *

><p>Chase wiped his brow of the sweat that built up from chopping wood. He had a nice stack going so far but the winds were beginning to pick up again. While surveying the land for a few days he's noticed how the weather has been more erratic than usual. Not to mention that there's been a weird aura in the air. His instincts screamed dark magic was involved, but the question was what? Or who? To be honest he had an inkling…<p>

"So you _can_ do honest work."

The thief turned behind him to see Lanne with her arms crossed beneath her wool cloak. He pulled the smug mask on in a practiced instant and placed a hand on his hip. "And you have a knack for finding me. Cute."

"I take back my compliment." Lanne scoffed and stared at the wood pile. "You say you're a friend to Anna while she says you're her son…"

"You want a trip down my memory lane, Red?"

"No." Chase blinked in honest curiosity. She met his silver gaze with straightforward green eyes. The redhead picked up a stack easily and started bringing it over to a wooden crate that usually kept the logs dry. "I don't care about your back story unless you really need to tell me. But Anna cares about you, so make her proud. Be happy you have a mother waiting for you." She hesitated upon saying the word 'mother' and she didn't doubt that he noticed.

"You're a strange girl." Chase chuckled after a while and shook his head. "But thanks…"

Upon sensing he was genuine, or as genuine as she was going to get out of the thief, she smiled a tiny bit. "You're welcome." And she went back inside to check on the dragon master. Then, it would be yet another race against time to find a cure. Yes, she had until the next sunrise because surely if she did not find it by then…she wasn't sure Evan would last any longer.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: -lesigh- so this was supposed to be longer but it was getting too long. It's already 7k words and if I continued with the part that will be in chapter 16, it would be waaaay too long for comfort… So this chapter is mainly chatter. I promise next chapter (Which I'm halfway done with since I took it from what was supposed to be in here) will be more exciting. We'll see more of Lanne's skills now that Evan and Mir are taking a back seat. And now that Chase is here, I wonder how this will play out? Will he double cross Lanne or will the thief help her again?


	16. Reluctant Heroes

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter 16: Reluctant Heroes

Almighty time for the action and (slight) romance! I don't like the flow of this chapter but I had to work with what I had. I didn't want to make it too long.

Also, imagine my surprise when the new Beast Tamer in Maple story is named Chase… Now every time I write Chase I think of him with animal ears and tail, haha.

* * *

><p><em>From my heart<em>

_Don't fall Reluctant Heroes_

_Oh give me your strength, our life is so short_

_Don't fall Reluctant Heroes_

_I wanna' be brave like you_

_-Reluctant Heroes, Attack on Titan_

* * *

><p>"<em>No…!"<em>

**_Snap_**

"_I don't want to die… I don't want to die!"_

**_Crack_**

"_You bastard! Let her go!"_

**_Shatter_**

"_No…get up….get up! Please…"_

**_Silence_**

"_Do you wish to save him?"_

**_Step_**

"_Make a pact with me…and I will spare his life."_

**_Sigh_**

"…_Fine."_

Lanne's eyes snapped open just as the feathered quill fell from her fingertips. Lately her dreams were getting wilder and wilder lately. She could chalk it up to stress, but for some reason it felt more than that… The people seemed familiar, but the faces and voices left her upon wakening. Only traces of loneliness remained.

Speaking of which, when did she fall asleep? She looked to the lit candle on the desk and sighed in relief. The candle wax hadn't shorted by much, so she was probably only out of it for a few minutes. She cracked her sore back and let out a thin sigh through her nose. Turning around she looked to Evan slumbering on the bed. Normally in the mornings he wasn't as bad, but today he didn't seem to recover overnight. Lanne quickly got up from her chair and hurried over to him.

"Evan? Evan you have to wake up for me…" Lanne leaned over the bed. The dragon master's eyes did not open. Rather, they were closed in pain. He sweated less than he usually did, but that only worried Lanne more. He hasn't been able to take in any water in so long. It was getting to the point where Lanne knew he was in danger of dehydration. She tried slapping his cheek lightly but he still didn't wake.

"Hey." The door opened and Chase entered with a bored expression on his face. "Tell me something."

"What?" Lanne snapped. She was already irritated enough from stress and didn't need any of his incessant teasing today.

"When was the last time you slept?"

The redhead raised a brow and frowned at the random question. "Last night."

"I'm serious, Red." He shook his head and walked up to the bed so that he stood next to her. "I mean _really_ slept. You look like you're going to pass out any moment."

"I get enough rest to get by," She answered shortly and moved past him to go back to her desk that was covered in open books, vials of potions, herbs, and paper. "Now if you don't mind, I need to continue working."

"Is this guy that important that you're pushing yourself so hard?" Chase asked and casually leaned against the desk. Her eye twitched at his motion but said nothing. "Why? If it's a guide you need then it's not like he's the only one in the world that knows his way around."

"Are you implying yourself?" the redhead questioned without looking away from her books or stopping her hand from writing possible combinations of herbs or plant extracts. "Because if you are then you have some nerve."

"Oh? Care to explain?"

"You attacked us!"

He made an 'o' with his mouth and looked up at the ceiling. "I guess I did, huh…" Lanne gave him a look that spoke a sarcastic 'oh really?' before turning back to her books. Chase crossed his arms across his chest and sighed as if speaking to a little girl that was unsatisfied with a present. "Think back… Have I really hurt you guys at all?"

Lanne parted her lips for an example but no sound came out much to her dismay. As much as she didn't want to admit it he was right. Other than a few scrapes and minor burns from their fight she was relatively wound free. Same thing with Evan. He got away with a few bruises and maybe a damaged ego hiding behind his grin as they 'celebrated' surviving.

"Still…" The redhead struggled to find an argument for a moment. "Why were you after the cryptex and book? You're not part of the Black Wings, are you? Or…" Ars Noctis. She wanted to finish her sentence with those two words but didn't dare say it. Because what if she was right? Could she even believe the thief if he denied it?

"I do things my own way. _No one_ can tell me how to live my life." His voice was sharp and his eyes narrowed at the opposite wall. She could almost believe him. Almost."As for needing the cryptex…" He moved smoothly towards her and leaned down towards her face. Lanne backed up but his fingers managed to tilt her chin up towards him. "That's a secret."

Lanne slapped his hands away whilst glaring at the thief who had a knack for invading her personal space. "If you really needed it, you could have easily stolen it from me by now."

"Who says I didn't?" he smirked and pulled out the golden cylinder from behind him. The redhead's eyes widened and quickly snatched it away from him. Chase chuckled at her reaction and put his hands in his pockets. "For now, I'll let you hold onto it as well as the books. At first I was worried that you two wouldn't be able to handle gathering the books while keeping them safe, but I think you guys can handle it."

"You mean you're going to wait like a vulture to pick them up when we find them all?" Lanne challenged. He shrugged. After a moment Lanne closed her book with a heavy sigh. "At least you're honest. You're a huge contradiction, you know."

"I've been told that."

"Really?" she drawled and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Who told you that?"

"A few admirers…" He turned a suggestive eye towards the redhead. Lanne blinked a few times before her cheeks flushed red and she threw a feathered pen at him. To her dismay he caught it easily and laughed at her reaction. "If anything _you're_ the contradiction here."

"Eh?"

"Your words say 'stay away'," Chase twirled the feathered pen through his fingers before settling it behind her ear. "But your eyes say 'don't go.'" Lanne scoffed and turned her head away quickly so that the pen fell onto the hardwood floors. The thief chuckled and backed off at last. "Alright fine. It looks like you need your space. But at the very least get some rest, Red. You wouldn't want to force me to save you again, right?"

"Just get out already…" She groaned. He sent her a 'suit yourself' gesture and made his way to the exit. Before he closed the door behind him he paused with his hand on the door frame.

"Hey, Red…" Chase spoke up. "Page 289." a male voice came from the doorway. Lanne frowned in confusion of his vague words. The thief kept his back towards her. "Not in the doc's book. Look in the Ars Goetia. Barbas."

She narrowed her eyes at him but shuffled through her bag to get the aforementioned book. Lanne sifted through the pages until she got to her destination and began to read whilst skipping around some sections. "Barbas. Changes men into other shapes… Causes and heals diseases?"

"I had a hunch it was him when I heard from Anna that it came out of nowhere, but I haven't had the chance to find out. You better hope I'm wrong, because you're gonna have a tough time finding a cure for that."

"How often are you wrong?"

"If I had a girlfriend, She'd have a _very_ interesting answer to that. It's unfortunate that I'm tragically single." Chase feigned a sorrowful swoon but the smirk on his lips still broke through. He took a couple more steps out of the room but the sound of a moving chair and footsteps stopped him.

"Wait." Her hand grasped his wrist firmly. "I'm serious, Chase. Why didn't you take them? The books?" she questioned with narrowed eyes. "I don't believe you story about trusting us with the book. There's got to be more to it…" He didn't answer. "You took the cryptex but gave it back. You could have taken the books but left them. You could have easily killed us, or at least me, but didn't. You seem to be quite the peculiar villain…"

"Not everyone can be categorized into good and evil, Red. You of all people should know that." He finally spoke and turned around. His voice was low and steady, a far cry from how she normally pegged his tone: sly, manipulative, and jovially evasive. The man in front of her now was solemn without any hint of humor. And yet…Lanne couldn't help but see a pained light in his dark gray eyes. She had thought they were a lighter silver before, but right now there seemed to be a storm swirling in his orbs.

"Just tell me," she continued with a hint of a plea as she looked down at where her fingers wound around his wrist. It was warm. Lanne heard him sigh, but it wasn't so much in irritation as it was in fatigue. "Why are you helping me?"

For a moment, the smile on his face faltered and the mask of his slipped even more. As much as she disliked the thief, something about him kept stopping her from completely shutting him out. Something in her gut told her that this man was more than annoying wit and perversion, much to her chagrin. Chase took a deep breath and broke out of her grip with a sharp tug.

"You'll have to appeal to Barbas in order to even have a drop of hope in saving lizard boy and the rest of El Nath. Either that or find a magic that can completely counter the curse" Chase ignored her earlier question and left the room with no more room for her to stop him. "And judging from the timeframe between the incubation period and when the disease hits hard, you'll have to find something of value somewhere nearby fast."

"What could possibly—" Lanne cut herself off and thought back. "Drop…?" in realization she turned away from Chase and hurried back to the desk, nearly knocking over the wood chair in the process. Opening to the section of solutes and potions, she flipped through pages of poisons and magic catalysts until she landed on a page with letters that were so worn and illegible that she often skipped the section for the sake of her eyes. "T….A….R…" her eyes squinted closely. "P…RI… W…T…R… 'something' water maybe? Counters… Is that word curse or burst?" While she distracted herself with trying to decipher the impossible text, the tip of her tongue poked past the corner of her lips and a determined look crossed her green eyes. Chase took this chance to leave the room with a slow shaking head. The last thing he said was so quiet that Lanne wasn't sure she heard him right, but made no comment regardless.

"That ignorance of yours will kill you one day, Red."

* * *

><p><em>Elsewhere…<em>

It was strange. The air was warm, comfortingly so. Her normally aching muscles were no longer numbed by a cold and damp atmosphere, but a part of her didn't seem to mind. Belle slowly dared to open her green eyes and scanned the room she was in. It took a while for it to even sink in that she was no longer shackled to a wall and instead lying on a bed of straw with a tattered blanket over her form. Candlelight filled the relatively dark room.

Slowly, Belle turned her head again. On the opposite wall there was a figure sitting against the wall with crossed arms and closed eyes. His sandy blonde hair looked familiar yet foreign at the same time. Maybe if she got a good look at his eyes it would come back to her. The man shifted with an uncomfortable groan before settling and mumbling a name under his breath. "Belle..." That sound... Checky?

The taste of bile rose in her throat and she covered her mouth with her hands. Despite the heavy pain wracking her body with the action she tried to stifle a sob with little success. No, she was stronger than this! All this time she had been fighting and fighting... Could she believe...? Could she believe that she was safe and sound again?

_"Nice to know you survived another night."_

The Wild hunter lurched and turned to the side. Her throat burned and tears built up around the corners of her eyes as she expelled what little precious food she had in her stomach. Checky jerked awake at the sound and rushed over to her. "Easy...easy..." He cooed and gently rubbed the strawberry blonde's back while she dry heaved. Checky pulled her hair back and continued his ministrations on her back. Once it looked like she calmed down he took a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and wiped the edges of her lips. He smiled a little. "Just another normal day in Eidelstein, eh?"

Belle coughed a few more times before giving him a tired smile. "I've had better days..." Her eyes stared down at her lap where her bandaged wrists were sitting. "What happened...?"

"We managed to break you out of the mines two days ago. Ars Noctis made it their base when all hell broke loose." The Mechanic explained with a grim and worried expression on his face. "Do you...remember anything?"

"I..." she started, but as she actively tried to remember everything her eyes nearly left their sockets as the broken memories of her time in captivity came back to her. Her entire body trembled and strangled sounds of fear and despair left her parched throat. Bandaged hands went to the her head before grabbing fistfuls of dirty matted hair. "A...Ah...!"

"Belle!" Checky went to grab her hand before she started tearing at her scalp but a broken sob left her. Despite the pain it caused to her abused body, the Wild Hunter tried pushing herself away from the Mechanic's touch as if it was a hot iron.

"G-Get away! Don't touch me!" she screamed and pulled her knees up to her chest and curled up in a defensive position.

Checky frowned in concern and tried to extend a gentle hand to her. "Belle it's just me‒!"

"Stay away!" she shied even further from his touch. The Mechanic backed up in fear that if he tried to continue then she would hurt herself further. He stared at her quivering form with sad eyes before taking a small cloth sack out of his bag and placed it at the foot of the straw bed.

"There's some bread and water in there... Try and eat up, alright? Claudine will check up on you in an hour or so, so get some rest, too, while you're at it." The Mechanic tried to smile reassuringly at her before leaving the room. He leaned back into the door and exhaled loudly. The almost manic and fearful expression she made was burned into his closed eyelids.

He may have been able to take her back from the mines, but he didn't feel like he saved her at all.

* * *

><p>Lanne grabbed her coat and pushed the heavy wooden doors open. The wind was calm for once but the sun was hidden behind a heavy blanket of clouds. Even bundled up, a shiver rocked her body as she pulled the cloak closer. "Damned Winter… Why couldn't the books be in a more tropical place? Like Nautilus or something?" She cursed under her breath. Chase must have heard the iron bolts creak because he appeared from behind her with a skeptical look on his face.<p>

"You don't mean to tell me you're going to go out now when there are barely anymore hours of daylight left, right?" He said with a raised brow. The redhead rolled her eyes and took a few steps out the door.

"I'm through with sitting there doing nothing while Evan is literally _dying_ in the same room!" She hissed; especially when a particularly cold wind cut through her clothes. If there were only a few more hours of daylight left she would be damned if she spent them sitting at that desk burning holes in the books. "Unless you have any ideas!"

"Yeah, wait until tomorrow!" Chase narrowed his eyes at her logic. "You don't know how to navigate these mountains, let alone at night. And how the hell do you expect to protect yourself if you don't even have a stable weapon?"

She clicked her tongue and pulled out the pocket watch. With a grunt, the gold slowly morphed into a wooden staff and she pointed the glowing end towards the thief. "I can manage fine on my own."

Chase could tell that simply doing that took a lot out of the redhead. The thief scoffed at her stubbornness. "Sure. And I'm the Queen of Erev." When the Lanne turned back around to the forest he rushed forward and grabbed hold of her wrist. "I thought you were smarter than this, Red. Why are you trying to be someone you obviously aren't?" He was getting irritated with her now and it was only fueling her own boiling annoyance.

"You don't know anything about me. Am I just suppose to let him die? So what if I don't make it back? It's better than doing nothing, like you!" Lanne tore away from his grasp and stormed off into the forest in search of what she thought to be the cure. The thief let out a frustrated growl and swung his fist against the doorframe. The snow that settled peacefully at the roof's edge fell clumsily to the ground.

"You idiot… Stop trying to throw your life away like it's nothing."

* * *

><p>The redhead trudged forward through the tall evergreen forest. Anna had loaned her a map of the area and pointed out the general area where she thought the answers could be found. If there wasn't anything…she doubted Evan would continue on with her. The thought frightened her as the image of Alecia and Evan flitted behind her eyelids. Despite the lack of strong winds, it felt like the very air around her was freezing. The warmth from the dying sun was leaving fast, just as Chase had predicted.<p>

_"You never cease to amaze me, girl. And don't take that as a compliment this time."_ Shax voiced in her head. He had long since transformed back into the watch in her pocket. _"I know the boy is in a rut, but you diving headstrong into action isn't how I pegged you to be during our pact."_

"Do I have to explain myself again?" She huffed in irritation. "I'm not going to stand around while—"

_"Stop right there."_ The demon cut her off icily. _"I may be thousands of years old, but don't underestimate my ability to tell a lie from the truth; especially from my contractor. I should feel offended you just tried to pull the wool over my eyes. Oh wait, I _am_ offended."_

Lanne narrowed her eyes. "You have no eyes."

_"And now you're changing the subject. Aren't you a cheeky one?"_ He sighed. _"Just admit that you got tired of sitting around doing nothing. Admit that you would rather die out here doing something than have his death on your hands."_

She said nothing in response. How could she to something like that?

_"You're traveling down a dark road, girl. Those who hide their ugly intentions with kind ones are no different from demons. And if you turn into someone like that… Wouldn't you be worse than those people that locked the witch away?"_

Lanne shook her head as if to will his voice away. Only then did she realize something was off about her surroundings. The thinning trees stopped swaying in the wind and the wildlife fell deathly silent. The air felt colder, but in a different sense. She felt this somewhere before. Her blood chilled in her veins and her very bones shivered. This feeling…

Bloodlust

Lanne quickly turned and came face to face with three pointed icicles spinning in place. "Shax!" The demon needed no further order as the pocket watch in her hand came to life. The gold metal morphed into a staff as she backed off and spun it repeatedly. No sooner had the transformation happened did the ice spears fly towards her vitals. The spinning staff laced with mana acted as a shield as the icicles melted from the heat. When the steam cleared, a large white mithril figure appeared.

It looked like a woman encased in a crystalline tomb. Her hands were folded in prayer and her eyes were closed with a single teardrop frozen on her pale cheeks. Beneath the ice was her white flowing dress as pure as freshly fallen snow, yet doomed never to sway in the wind. Chains bound her floating tomb.

"Are you the Snow Witch?" Lanne asked as she steadied herself. The move she did took a lot out of her but she fought not to show it.

"And if I was, child? Who demands to know?" Although her lips did not move, Lanne still heard her voice as clear as day. Telepathy?

The redhead lowered her weapon slightly, as well as her head, in respect. "Please, I need your help. El Nath is dying."

"El Nath, you say?" she sneered and the winds around them died down. "Why? The people of El Nath are the ones that imprisoned me here. They are the ones that chained me to this land for a crime I did not commit. And you, child, come to me and ask me to save them?" Four more spears appeared and spun like drills in Lanne's direction.

"You've been imprisoned here for hundreds of years! Those that have wronged you are dead!" Lanne argued and placed a gloved hand on her chest. "Why are you blaming them if the people that brought you here are dead? Where is the sense in that?"

"Silence!" the witch screeched and she let the spears go flying. Lanne jumped out of the way and pointed her staff at the witch.

"Dark Chain!" she called out as a blue magic circle appeared at the head of her staff. A black mana chain appeared and shot out towards the ice surrounding the tomb and pulled the witch within range. Barbed spear heads at the ends of the chain held it in place within the hard ice as the witch growled in dissent. Lanne wasted no time. Her staff glowed brightly and she quickly swiped her staff horizontally followed by a diagonal downward slash. The head of her weapon enlarged and seemed to form the head of violet tinged naginata. With each hit, a small alchemic circle appeared briefly on the ice.

The witch bided her time as the thick diamond-like ice protected her. She merely focused on freezing the black chains keeping her in place. While the redhead was distracted in her onslaught she did not notice that the mana chains were cracking from the cold emanating from her tomb. Just before Lanne pulled back for a finishing blow, the witch reared upwards and broke the chains before crashing down into the ice ground. The impact from the tremors and wave of snow sent Lanne flying backwards into a nearby tree. Snow fell over her body and she cried out from the pain of the impact and the freezing cold that made its way onto her skin.

The witch readied two more spears and readied them for a finishing blow. She would be quick, unlike the savages that locked her away in a frozen prison to die.

Once the spears flew through the air, Lanne's arms seemed to come alive on their own despite the damage she took on. The staff spun again into a shield just as the icicles came into range. Like before, the ice melted and evaporated into steam. A stray spear grazed her thigh and a line of blood sprayed on the white snow.

"Thanks, Shax…" Lanne huffed. Shax had taken control of her arms just in time. It was a strange feeling when he controlled her movements now and then. At first she detested the thought of 'dancing to his tune' as the demon put it at times. But if that was what she had to accept in order to survive then she would take it.

"_We can pull that shield off one last time before your mana runs out, girl. Be careful."_ Shax warned her. _"The ice around her is too hard. We need another way around it."_

Her anger and annoyance flared. All Lanne wanted was information and a way to save El Nath! Was it such a hard thing to ask for?

"_Those who hide their ugly intentions with kind ones are no different from demons."_

No… That wasn't why Lanne was here. Shax was right. She was tired of sitting there in a small room doing nothing but read. That's all she did back in Eidelstein: deliver mail, take care of the jaguars, read. That wasn't a life! As she was now, she was no different than how she was back home. Evan, although a clutz, did all the work. He fought, he survived, and still managed to continue teaching her about the world. What did she do? Lecture him. Read. Lecture. Read. Even though she managed to make a pact with a demon, even though she was learning to fight, she hardly changed since starting this adventure!

She was selfish. She was a loner. She was weak. Maybe those things would never change…

But she was through with pretending things were all right!

"I'd rather not fight her at all if I had a choice…" Lanne muttered and pushed herself up with a wince. She would reach for a potion in her bag but she doubted the witch would give her a chance to drink it. "We don't have to do this! I can help you!"

"Help me?" the Snow Witch laughed and the heavy chains surrounding her rattled like metal bones. "What can you possibly do? You can hardly stand by yourself without your demon." Upon noticing Lanne's rigid body language she laughed again. "You think I don't know about demons? Think I don't know about the one terrorizing this land? How naïve and foolish a child you are. It's a wonder how you made it this far by yourself."

Lanne growled and chose to hold her tongue against the witch's last comment. "If you knew about the demon, then why? Why did you let it continue?" The witch seemed to pause for a moment and the rattling stopped. The redhead loosened her hold on Shax to look less demanding. "You may hate the people that shunned and locked you away here…but is it really fair? Do you really think ignoring the real problem will solve everything?"

The Snow Witch finally recovered and sent a cutting wind towards Lanne. Sharp shards of ice cut into her clothes and skin, drawing blood from her arms, face, and legs. The redhead winced but made no move to counter. With this, another scream escaped the witch and a strong wind hit her full force. Lanne tried holding her ground but she was knocked back and landed her back on the cold snow, skidding a few feet. "Who are you to talk? You probably lived a normal life. No one ever watched over you like a time bomb ready to go off. No one sent you off to your death! How dare you lecture me!"

The redhead groaned and opened one eye. "I do know…"

"!"

Lanne shakily got up and stopped pumping mana into Shax who he morphed back into a pocket watch, much to his dismay. Didn't she realize that she would be wide open? That the witch could chose to end her life at any moment? _"You better have a plan…"_

"I _do_ know the feeling… Of eyes staring at your back and staying away as if you were a disease. I know how it feels when people fear what they refuse to understand." Her legs wobbled where she stood. "I even know what it feels like when the world wishes you were gone. I spent my entire life pretending that it didn't hurt. I spent my entire life pretending things were unchangeable—that I had to 'deal' with it." Lanne looked down at her left hand. Even though her gloves blocked her view, she could imagine the black tattoo that marked her. There were still so many things she didn't quite understand…like why was _she_ chosen as a vessel? Why did _she_ have to go on this journey?

Now that she thought about it, she and the witch weren't all that different.

"It's true that they locked you away." Lanne ignored the demon inside her. "They were scared. Scared of what they couldn't understand. Scared of what they couldn't control. So they did the only thing they could do—they shunned you. They took advantage of your kindness and sent you away in hopes that that you would die." The mage's fingers traced over the back of her left hand where the black tattoo was branded on her skin. She knew that pain all too well. She knew the pain of belonging nowhere. She knew the loneliness that followed the freezing of a heart and the numbness that followed. There were times she felt like leaving Edelstein before all the hell rose up, and yet…that cliff she loved so much kept calling her back. Her green eyes softened at the witch and she smiled painfully. "But you didn't die. The land didn't let you. Maybe there's a reason it kept you alive? Maybe you have to protect this land and prevent the things that happened to you from happening to anyone else? If you think about it like that… Well, it doesn't sound too bad, huh?"

All was silent between the two of them save for the howling of the wind surrounding them. Lanne let go of the watch and extending her hands out to the sides, exposing herself to any and all attacks. The witch was amazed. How could this girl, not even full grown, understand her pain? It was almost laughable. She conjured up two spears and took aim. Lanne made no move to reach for her watch or even dodge. The redhead merely stared at her with honest green eyes before closing them to accept whatever fate she was dealt.

"You…are a very stupid, stupid girl."

Lanne's eyes snapped open and she saw the two points of the ice spears centimeters away from her eyes. Her throat felt dry and she felt her knees shake but she didn't move from her spot. She merely looked past the spears and into the closed eyes of the witch.

"Since I'm not dead yet, can I assume that you trust me?"

The spears stopped spinning and suddenly melted in midair. The two streams of water came together in a dance and light formed where the two liquids touched. Slowly but surely it began to harden and condense itself into a small blue teardrop the size of the pad of her thumb.

"This teardrop is made from the purest water in El Nath. It is also laced with the blood of the spirits in this land. It should be able to drive away the curse Barbas inflicted if you drop it in the water supply. I will take care of subduing the demon." The witch turned away and started floating in the opposite direction of the redhead. Lanne exhaled a shuddering breath as she caught the floating teardrop in her hands. Through the gloves it felt cold to the touch. Carefully she placed the tear in an empty flask and put it away in her bag.

"Thank you."

"Do not misunderstand me, child." The Snow Witch snapped. "I admire your bravery albeit it was foolish bravery. For that, I shall reward you. But this does not change how I feel about El Nath."

"This is all I ask." Lanne bowed her head. The witch still hovered there for a moment, as if hesitating in leaving or staying. The redhead blinked in confusion but made no move to pump mana into Shax again.

"You and your demon…" she began and turned to look at the gold watch in her gloved hands. "Or shall I say 'demons'? I am surprised you are still standing considering the state you're in."

"What do you mean? This?" the redhead asked and gestured to her worn and battered state.

"No, the state of your soul. Ah…I see…" the witch made a noise of surprise and interest. "Your demon is damming the pain… That's why you were so weak."

The golden watch glowed and suddenly transformed into a staff against Lanne's will. _"And what is so interesting about that, milady? Are you surprised a demon is helping a human?"_

The Snow Witch laughed and the chains surrounding her shook. "I'm surprised that you're willing to let her die so easily! Are you a fool?"

"Shax, what is she talking about?" Lanne demanded with narrowed eyes.

Her staff shook in her hands with irritation but he sighed. _"I apologize for what my kin has done to both of you. I cannot say my own hands are clean of all that, but I am trying to heal that hurt. I'm not planning on allowing my contractor to die so easily. Not again." _The witch, seemingly satisfied with his answer, turned away and left in a flurry of snow. Lanne, on the other hand, was far from sated with his answer. The demon sighed and transformed back. _"I will tell you soon, girl. But for now, you have to get back before nightfall."_

"You don't have to tell me…twice…" She began but her quivering knees finally gave out and she collapsed onto the snow-padded ground.

_"Girl? Wake up! Don't you dare go to sleep!"_ He shouted. A groan escaped Lanne but at most she was able to twitch her fingers. The temperature was dropping fast and there was no way the demon could magically bring her back to Anna's.

The sound of crunching snow came into hearing range, followed by the sound of something being pulled—a sled? Lanne couldn't turn her head. Her body felt too heavy, too numb now that the adrenaline was leaving her. "Now what did I tell you, Red?" His voice sounded strained and breathless, as if he had been yelling for a while. If she could scoff and make a comment at the moment she would, but she settled for a tired sigh. Chase knelt down and turned her on her back to pick her up bridal style. Her lips moved in apology as he did so. The thief chuckled and carried her a few steps to settle her down onto a sled. Maybe Lanne's eyes were too tired, but the horse attached to the sled…did it have wings? Chase tucked her into a sleeping bag and strapped her in before getting behind the reins. "C'mon Val. Time to get this stupid and stubborn woman home."

"Who's stubborn…jackass." She mumbled quietly before succumbing to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Well, that took a while! Well guys, I'm changing majors (for those that haven't read my profile). I'm making writing stories my life and maybe in the future I'll be lucky at work with Naughty Dog XD. I kind of wanna rewrite some chapters of this but too late, haha.

Now that we had a bit of a one-sided fight scene we had a little peek into Lanne's mindset about this whole quest. Not only that, maybe she'll actually start doing work haha. But I'm going to give her a bit of a break next chapter.

**Here's a teaser for next chapter, but some of it might change:**

"Why do I have to work with an ass like you?"

"The curse isn't lifted yet?"

"That's not the reason we're doing this. The next book is in the mines and I'm sure you wouldn't want Ars Noctis getting their hands on it, Red."

"Is all of this…Lanne's blood?"

"You… You are going to die soon. So why do you bother trying?"


	17. Warmth

**Teach Me How to See**

Chapter 17: Warmth

Alternate Title(s): Reason To Doubt, Into the Mines

Yay there's going to be more storyline related things here! Hopefully I can get the ball rolling in this chapter since we currently haven't seen Ars Noctis since Eidelstein…how suspicious. This is a bit shorter because I'm going to transition areas soon. Plus I haven't written MS in a while, hehe.

For the sake of this story, I'm skipping some travel time and you can tell where i'm getting lazy in the pacing of this chapter. I've been stuck here for god knows how long and I wanna move on from El Nath…URGH.

Also I'm going to experiment a bit with my style from now on. Maybe it'll be noticeable, maybe not. I'm curious to see if you can tell what I'm changing

* * *

><p>"<em>Come on, Val!"<em>

_Lanne could faintly hear a shout. Her body ached from the bumping motion of whatever contraction she was cocooned in. She wanted to hold in her groan of pain but a particular jarring of the vehicle let it escape. Whoever saved her turned around to regard her and make sure she was still secure._

"_What did I tell you? You're gonna get yourself killed."_

_Chase? It figures he would be the one to save her again. Why? Why was he always there when she was at her weakest? In the alley of Kernan City. In the forest when she was attacked by a monster. Even now he was saving her from possibly freezing to death._

It's not like I wanted to get myself beat up_, she wanted to retort but the words came out as another moan. _

"_Just a little farther."_

_Whether it was to reassure her or himself she didn't know. _

"_You can't die just yet."_

* * *

><p>Evan awoke to the sun streaming through the window. It felt as if he woke up from a long dream, maybe even nightmare. His body felt awfully sluggish but he was more or less alert and awake compared to the past few days.<p>

"I was wondering if you'd ever wake up."

The dragon master turned to the doorway and saw the thief from Kerning City. An annoyed frown was on his face. On instinct Evan moved his hand to the nightstand for his wand but it was nowhere to be found.

"Looking for this?" Chase piped up and pulled out his Dragon Wing Wand from his back. "Sorry, but I confiscated it until I know you're not going to roast or sic your lizard on me."

"Where is she?" His protective instincts kicked in as he started getting out of bed.

His legs betrayed him for a moment but he caught himself on the nightstand. From the haze of his memory Lanne had been in the room during his brief moments of consciousness, but now he couldn't sense her aura anywhere nearby…no, he could but it felt so faint that he could barely feel it.

The thief laughed and took a few more steps inside the room, twirling the wand between his fingers as he went.

"Little Red? She's all right. She's sleeping downstairs though and I don't recommend going to wake her up." Just as he got close enough Evan lunged forward and grabbed Chase by the collar and pushed him to the wall. The thief's gaze hardened as he spoke in a low voice, "Let go of me."

"Why are you even here?" the mage asked. "Don't tell me you're still trying to take Lanne?"

"I live here, Sherlock. And no, I'm not going to take her away…yet." Chase grabbed Evan's wrist with his free hand. Even flinched at the vice-grip but he held back the noise in his throat. "But if you keep this up you're going to make me regret letting her save your ass."

"Save—?" Evan was cut off when the thief roughly pushed him away.

"If you want an explanation then go downstairs. If you want a fight, then we'll take it outside. I'm fine either way as long as it's not up here."

Chase pushed the wand into Evan's chest before walking out of the room.

"Did I get saved again?"

With a heavy mind and a heavier heart Evan put his wand in a holster on his belt and trudged downstairs. As soon as he made his way down the stairs with downcast eyes he was tackled to the ground and attacked with a rough tongue. His large dragon greeted him eagerly like a puppy as Evan groaned from the weight.

"M-Mir! Nice to see you too, partner, but…can't…breathe!" he gasped. The dragon growled affectionately before getting off his master.

A woman entered the room with a basin of water and damp cloth. She smiled warmly and lowered her head. He vaguely remembered his fever hazed conversation with Lanne and searched for a name.

"You must be…Anna, right? Thank you very much for taking us in for a while. If there's anything I can do to repay you…"

"Don't worry about it, child. I already had this conversation with your friend. Also, she has done more than enough to repay me. I hope Chase didn't give you trouble?" She glanced at the thief with a curious brow, but he merely shrugged made his way to the room she was just in. The woman sighed at his reaction and turned back to Evan. "You want to see her, I presume?"

"Yes, is she alright?"

Anna nodded and emptied the bowl of water in the sink. "She's exhausted and wounded, but a little rest should fix her up in no time."

"Wounded? What happened?"

"She went out _all_ by herself and nearly got herself killed trying to appease the Snow Witch. Is she normally like that?" Chase piped in from other room behind the safety of the door. Both Evan and Anna glared in the general direction of his voice. "Alright I'll stop, I'll stop! Can you not burn holes into the door?"

She sighed. "He's rough around the edges but once you get to know him he's a fine boy. Ah, as for Lanne. What he said was true. The girl left once she saw your health getting worse and worse. Wouldn't listen to reason either! She's a stubborn one, she is." Evan laughed a little. He warmed up at the thought of the ever composed Lanne losing her cool and rushing out to help him. once she woke up he would definitely give her an earful. Usually it was the other way around.

"Can I see her?"

The door opened and Chase walked out with his hands in his pockets. "Go ahead. She's still asleep though, so don't wake her, Lizard boy."

"You're pretty bad at names, aren't you?" Evan said icily as he walked past the thief. Chase scoffed.

"You're pretty bad at protecting her, aren't you?"

* * *

><p>Evan sat down on the hard wooden stool and stared at the slumbering redhead. Her cheek had a gauze taped over it and a bandage was wrapped around her forehead. There were already purple bruises and small cuts on her bare arms aside from the cleaned and wrapped ones. Evan looked down at his lap in shame.<p>

"Sorry…" he said. She did not stir. He gripped his knees so hard that his knuckles turned white. "I'm a lousy hero, aren't I?"

"Who said that?" Evan looked back up at her. Lanne's eyes were barely open but she was looking straight at him.

"Lanne!"

She winced. "Too loud…"

"Sorry," he apologized again but breathed a sigh of relief. "As much as I want to lecture you, you should go back to sleep. I'll let you rest."

"Wait," Lanne said just as he made a movement to get up from the stool. "You're not lousy."

"I'm not very heroic, either." Evan smiled depreciatingly.

"Stop that. I didn't go out in the freezing cold to hear you complain." She shook her head but winced from the motion.

Evan was going to apologize for making her go through with that by herself but stopped. If the roles were reversed, he would have done the same thing and wouldn't regret it. He chuckled and took her hand gently in his.

"I guess you didn't. Thank you, Lanne." Her cheeks reddened just a bit and he didn't think she was getting a fever. Evan grinned. "Are you getting embarrassed?"

"No I'm not…" She mumbled and avoided his teasing gaze. "But… You're welcome."

He remembered the first time she was thanked. Lanne was so embarrassed and lost. Maybe now she would get used to getting appreciated. Evan pat her hand gently. "I don't know any healing spells, but is there anything I can do?"

Lanne shook her head and closed her eyes. It was nice to be fretted over for once. Usually she hated it. It made her feel weak and like a burden. He may not be able to heal her wounds, but this warmth was more than enough. "I just need a little rest. As soon as I'm better we'll get the book…together."

"Yeah, I promise." Evan smiled and tucked her in again before leaving the room quietly. Chase was waiting for him in the hallway.

"You know where to book is, don't you?"

"If I did, what would you do?"

"We're going to get it whether or not I have to force you to come with me."

"Doing the dirty work behind your mistress's back, eh? Well if you put it that way…" He hummed appreciatively. "When do we get started?"

* * *

><p>"This is <em>not<em> what I had in mind…" Chase muttered darkly under his breath as he rode a dark chestnut horse deep into the woods of El Nath while Evan rode on his trusted dragon's back.

"The sooner we get the book, the sooner Lanne and I can leave. I'm getting sick of the cold!" Evan replied. Truthfully he still felt drained from his illness but his bond with Mir helped his recovery along. "If it's deep in the mines, then the two of us should be able to clear the monsters inside in no time."

"Worried that Red would get hurt in there, eh?" the thief smirked. Evan didn't reply. Chase shook his head and gave in. The guy had a point. She would be too weak to join the excursion and he wasn't familiar with being able to fight while making sure the two of them didn't get themselves killed. The faster they left, the faster they would be out of his hair…for now.

_Two Hours Later…_

He spoke too soon.

"'Clear it in no time' he says. What a load of bull," Chase huffed irately as he dispatched another drake with his dagger. "I should have just gotten the book myself but nooooo. You had to spring every single trap in this damned place to make sure I didn't run off with it! How did you survive this long? Enlighten me!"

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Evan growled and ordered Mir to release another stream of ice. While it froze a few monsters in his path, it also served as a feeble attempt to ease the sticky heat around them as they went deeper and deeper into the caves.

The two of them left their heavy winter cloaks with the tethered horse at the warm mouth of the mines. The mage was starting to envy the light clothes that Chase was wearing as opposed to his large sleeved robes. He dared not take it off because it provided a good amount of protection from the drake's breath.

Up ahead the cave opened up to a large clearing as well as a hotter blast of heat. There was little ground compared to the lake of lava that took up the majority of the dome-like cavern. Small platforms of floating stones and hanging ropes created long twisted pathways to a larger island further up with tall erected columns surrounding an alter. The air was thicker here and Evan could feel his body getting heavier. Although the room was hot beyond compare a chill went down his spine. Something wasn't right here…

"Just what I needed. A jumping puzzle." Chase groaned.

"Wait here. I can get it with Mir."

"Hold on, Lizard boy." The thief held a hand up to stop the mage from mounting his companion. "Look at your partner's wings."

Just as he mentioned it a dark aura was starting to surround Mir's wings. The dragon let out a distressed cry and tried flapping his wings. The aura grew stronger as Mir's wings grew far too heavy to flap, let alone lift.

"Mir!"

Chase took his black dagger and drew a small swirling symbol in the dirt before cutting his thumb to allow a few drops of blood to fall on it. As soon as that happened, a giant magical seal appeared on the ground where they stood. He clicked his tongue.

"Well that explains why I feel shitty…er. Sealing symbol. The bastard that put this here must have been pretty strong."

The magician sifted through all of his knowledge of seals and came up with nothing. Not even the bits and pieces of memories from his predecessor Freud had given him anything about these symbols, and yet they looked vaguely familiar. Where had he seen these before?

"This doesn't look like any magic circle I know," Evan said after checking to make sure his partner wasn't hurt in the slightest. The strange aura bound his wings and kept him from flying, but at most it was a discomfort for the dragon

"That's because this wasn't made by your average magician," Chase replied and crossed his arms over his chest. "This was made by a contractor."

"Contractor?"

"People that made deals with demons in exchange for power, like Red. There are two types of contracts that are made: a bound contract and a forced contract." He answered. "Judging by the symbols the poor guy died after making this. Must have wanted to make sure your average treasure hunter couldn't get the book easily."

Although the idea horrified him, the dragon master couldn't bring himself to be too surprised. Magic was a dangerous thing. A seal this strong to last for so long had to have consequences. Now he remembered. The symbols were similar to the ones that appeared when Lanne made a contract with Shax.

Evan stared for a good while before asking. "How do you know so much about Lanne and contracts?"

"I wonder…" The thief smiled, but it held no mischief. In its place was a pained curve at the corner of his lips. He turned his back towards the mage and stepped towards the edge of the floating platform they were on.

"I'll be back!"

"Wait!"

It was too late. The thief took off with a great jump and landed on the first small floating platform with apparent ease. For the next few jumps it was fairly straightforward until the ropes came into play. Despite not knowing how stable they were Chase didn't slow down. Surely if he did he would lose the precious momentum he gained in the beginning.

The first rope was strong enough but the second one began to fray from his weight. Evan was about to shout to look out but the thief didn't look worried in the slightest. He took the dagger from his back and pointed it towards the ceiling. A purple chain shot out and propelled him forward just in time for the rope he used to snap and fall into the lava below.

Evan crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. "I wasn't worried. Not at all."

A few broken platforms and more chains later, Chase finally made it to the alter in the center of the room. He turned to Evan with the book in hand.

"What was that about being worried?"

The dragon master palmed his face. "I hate this guy…" It took a little while longer before Chase made his way back. He smirked and held it out to the magician who was about to take it but hesitated. "What's the catch?"

"Oh? You don't believe that I'm handing this over out of the goodness of my heart?"

"The chances of that happening are the same as me just handing Lanne over to you."

"Quite possessive of your mate, eh?" the thief teased. Evan's cheeks grew warm and both of them were pretty sure it wasn't because of the hot room.

"Shut up! We're just friends!"

"Suuuuuure."

* * *

><p>Lanne was roused awake from shouting coming from downstairs. Her eyes adjusted to the light of the room as she sat up. Her body still felt awfully sore but not as bad as it could have been. Maybe the pact really was helping her with her healing after all?<p>

A sound of shattering glass and further yelling brought on a wave of worry an adrenaline. Lanne painfully got out of bed and grabbed her pocket watch. Anna? Who else was downstairs? And where was Evan?

The struggle downstairs was settling down but relief did not fill her. Instead a feeling of creeping dread came upon her as she heard the wooden stairs creak under the sound of heavy boots. Lanne backed away from the door but her legs gave out from under her.

"Gah…!" she winced. Her legs felt like jelly and it hurt to breath because of her wounds. The door opened to reveal a hooded figure with a dark cloak similar to the ones the attackers of Edelstein wore. The intruder held a long thin Estoc, but what caught her attention the most was the fresh blood dropping from its tip. Her mind was telling her to run but her body wouldn't move.

"Ah, so you're the one that has been giving Master Noah such troubles…"

They lifted their hood, revealing the pale and smooth skin of a young woman. Underneath her left eye was a black tattoo that was not too dissimilar to Lanne's. Long dark purple hair escaped the confines of the cloak and she knelt down on one knee to get on eye level with Lanne. The redhead should have felt hatred or at least intimidation, however she couldn't look away from the woman's face. She hardly noticed her reach out to stroke Lanne's uninjured cheek until she flinched at an unexpectedly wet sensation.

_Blood?_

"Now be a good girl and come quietly, or I'll kill your precious dragon master next, okay?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** About damn time something else happened! God damn... I wanted to flesh out the part with Evan and Chase more but the more I tried planning in my head, the more they bickered (Yes, I hear them in my head. They argue way more there than in the story...) I'm sorry, but I love creating tension between Evan and Chase. Ooh, I love it when the tension over one girl is made between guys (Not in real life, but in fanfiction. It makes me want to smack them both). As for Lanne, ooh, what will happen? I cut out some of the teasers from last chapter and I might put them in the next chapter. Or maybe a deleted scene. We'll see...


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